AJ Odudu claims ‘nothing’s confirmed’ about why controversial Big Brother star was removed

AJ Odudu has questioned the accepted narrative surrounding controversial Big Brother star George Gilbert’s removal from the house.

George, then 23, was dramatically kicked out of the reality series last October following weeks of heated debates and clashes with his fellow housemates.

At the time, Big Brother confirmed he had been removed over ‘repeated use of unacceptable language and behaviour’, much of which was never broadcast because it was deemed contrary to broadcasting standards.

But when it was suggested during a press junket that included Metro for the new series that George had been removed because of his political statements, AJ was quick to question whether that was actually the confirmed explanation.

‘Was that the reason? Was that the official headline?’ the presenter, 38, asked.

AJ continued: ‘You know, that’s the funny thing, isn’t it? Like, nothing’s confirmed.

‘Essentially, everything is taken care of behind the scenes, privately between the housemates and the team.’

Her comments come almost a year after George’s premature exit became one of the biggest controversies of the 2025 series.

The former actor and parish councillor regularly courted controversy during his stint in the house, debating everything from immigration and homelessness to trans rights and his support for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Two days before he was removed, George was also issued a formal warning for discriminatory behaviour after imitating fellow housemate Sam Ashby’s voice and gestures during a game of truth or dare.

Sam became emotional over the incident and told Big Brother he felt he had been mocked ‘as if [he has] some kind of disability’, while saying the other male housemates laughing reminded him of homophobic abuse he experienced at school.

George apologised to Sam before Big Brother told him his language had been ‘unacceptable’ and could cause offence.

His eventual removal, however, came after further incidents which viewers did not see.

George subsequently claimed a conversation about conspiracy theories ultimately led to him being kicked out.

In a YouTube video after leaving the house, he said a discussion had moved through subjects including the moon landing and pyramids before he spoke about antisemitism and conspiracy theories concerning Jewish people.

George claimed it was his decision to ask ‘is it a case of no smoke without fire?’ while discussing centuries of antisemitism that resulted in his removal, later acknowledging the question could have been ‘provocative unnecessarily’.

At the time, however, Big Brother itself did not publicly identify one particular comment or political opinion as the sole reason for his exit, instead citing his repeated unacceptable language and behaviour.

George also said in a statement following his removal that, as a ‘flag bearer of freedom of speech’, he was willing to discuss contentious subjects, but admitted he had ‘evidently gone too far this time by crossing their line one too many times’.

AJ’s comments came as she and Will Best were asked about how much involvement they actually have when controversy erupts inside the Big Brother house.

And despite being the faces of the programme, it turns out they are often barely ahead of viewers.

‘We know basically nothing. I mean, nothing beforehand,’ Will admitted.

He explained that the presenters generally discover how Big Brother has responded at around the same time as the audience, seeing each episode only a couple of hours before it goes out on television.

AJ added that behind the four hosts is a ‘big, massive, incredible team’ responsible for safeguarding contestants and making the difficult decisions that inevitably come with a live social experiment.

She said the team would make sure decisions surrounding controversial moments were handled ‘with care’.

Will similarly stressed that although Big Brother is a social experiment, it is ultimately also ‘a fun entertainment show’.

He said the priority was ensuring viewers enjoy it while everyone taking part feels ‘safe and protected’ and able to have ‘the experience of a lifetime’.

When the pair were later asked whether housemates should take greater personal responsibility for what they say and do, AJ acknowledged that contestants have extensive conversations before entering the house but said the environment can be impossible to predict.

‘What you’ve got to remember is it is live, and they are thrown into an environment that is completely foreign,’ she said.

‘They’ve never been, you know, in this environment before, and so anything can happen.’

Will added that he remains in ‘complete awe’ of anyone willing to enter the house and believes those who do should be properly looked after.

AJ and Will are now preparing to return for an expanded eight-week run, which AJ described as the ‘biggest, longest series’ of Big Brother since its ITV revival.

And if history is anything to go by, the safeguarding team might want to enjoy the quiet while it lasts.

Big Brother 2026 launches tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.