A discussion about homelessness on Big Brother UK turned into a major argument on Monday’s episode after housemate George Gilbert stated that homeless people should stop “deflecting responsibility” by turning to drugs. His comments were immediately challenged by other housemates, who cited trauma, abuse, and mental health struggles as root causes.
This incident occurred just hours after George, a 23-year-old parish councillor, received a formal warning from Big Brother for unacceptable language after mimicking his queer housemate Sam’s voice and limp-wristed gestures.
The Heated Exchange on Homelessness
The argument began when housemate Caroline expressed empathy for people living on the streets, challenging the notion that they are “filthy.” She explained, “They didn’t get born and go think, ‘Oh I’m going to go and sit on the street and take loads of sh*t drugs’.” Feyisola added that anyone could find themselves in a similar situation, noting that people are often just “four pay checks away from being there.”
George interjected with a contrasting view, stating, “You’re not going to like me for saying this but you are in charge of your own actions. They know drugs are bad so have… Stop deflecting responsibility.” His remarks prompted shocked gasps from the group.
Caroline was quick to push back, asking George if he was speaking from a place of “privilege.” She pointed to her own stable family background as a privilege that others may not have, stating, “I haven’t been abused, I haven’t had to run away from home, I haven’t been so scared about living on the streets.”
Marcus then challenged George to consider the complexities faced by army veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. George acknowledged the difficulty of such situations but stood by his position. “I accept it’s very hard and I’ve not experienced anything as difficult as that – but we can’t just blame circumstances all the time,” he said. “I want to encourage people out there who may be watching this to not just turn to drugs.”
Housemates Explain the Role of Trauma
Jenny stepped in to clarify the core issue, explaining that George was “missing the point.” She described how people with severe trauma might use substances to cope.
“Aye I know but people do have reasons… The point here is that people turn to things like that for a bit of… like to free their mind when all they can think about is them being r*ped or them having a bad childhood,” said Jenny. “That’s all they can think, they can’t stop thinking about it so they take these drugs to make them feel happy. It’s a happy buzz.”
George responded by referencing boxer Tyson Fury’s mental health journey and the “four pillars” of a healthy mind, but the conversation had already escalated.
The “Love” Comment That Fueled the Fire
When Jenny tried to speak over him, George replied with, “Ah ah ah,” which she immediately shut down. “Don’t ‘ah ah ah’ me ever again,” Jenny warned.
George then said, “Well you’re interrupting love,” a comment that fellow housemate Zelah found disrespectful. Zelah immediately called him out, noting the term was patronizing in a heated debate.
“Ooh no love, no love. That’s not, no love,” Zelah said. “If you were having this debate with Tate you wouldn’t have called him love.”
George defended the term as “respectful,” but Zelah insisted he should “keep it respectful” during arguments.
A Pattern of Controversial Behavior
This was not George’s first clash in the house. The day before, he was pulled into the Diary Room and issued a formal warning for his behavior during a game of Truth or Dare. When asked about his least favorite qualities of the housemates, George mimicked Sam’s voice and used body language that included limp wrists.
Big Brother told George his language was “unacceptable and could cause offence,” and issued him a formal warning. Sam had earlier confided in the Diary Room that the incident made him feel “like I was back at school” being bullied.
How Fans and Family Reacted
The argument quickly spilled onto social media, where viewers shared their thoughts. Many criticized George’s manner during the debate. One viewer wrote on X, “It’s not just George’s views it’s the way he speaks to people, the ‘ah ah ah…’ was just plain rude.” Another praised Zelah for “IMMEDIATELY shutting George down for calling Jenny ‘love’.”
However, some viewers came to George’s defense. One person noted, “I wouldn’t usually be defending George… but Jenny DID interrupt him.” Another commented on the value of diverse opinions, saying, “You may not agree with George’s views but that’s the point of being in a house where people don’t all think the same.”
George’s brother also entered the fray, posting a video on TikTok to defend him. However, the defense was criticized as hypocritical after he made comments about the physical appearance of George’s critics.
Despite the heated exchange, George and Jenny later made amends, though both acknowledged they would likely disagree again. The event highlights the intense social experiment of Big Brother, where conflicting worldviews and personalities collide.
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