TV

Love Island’s Sherif Lanre claims show ‘ignored racist language from another contestant’

He also accused the show of "unconscious racism" against him

Sherif Lanre claims a Love Island contestant was not reprimanded for using “racist language”.

The 20-year-old hopeful – who left the show by “mutual consent” last week after accidentally kicking Molly-Mae Hague in the crotch during a play fight and calling the blow a “[bleep]-punt” – has accused producers of double standards after they allegedly ignored one of the men in the villa using the “N-word” in a rap.

Sherif was kicked out of the villa for a remark he made to Molly-Mae (Credit: ITV)

Read More: Love Island’s Sherif Lanre announces he’s left the show after breaking rules

He told The Sun newspaper: “There was one guy, who I will not name, who repeatedly used the N-word as he rapped in front of me.

“He said it two or three times and he was not pulled aside even though the code forbids racist language.

“The same rules did not seem to apply to the other contestants.”

According to reports, the contestant was singing Drake’s Over My Dead Body and another hopeful raised concerns at the time but no action was taken.

Sherif wouldn’t name the contestant who he says used the word (Credit: ITV)

Read More: Love Island fans speculate about Sherif Lanre’s shock departure from show

A source added: “Sherif was not particularly offended by it, as the person in question was just singing a song, but someone else clearly was.

“But Sherif was left feeling like there were double standards given his swift removal after his comments.”

ITV insisted there was no evidence that anyone in the villa had used the racist term.

A spokesperson said: “We monitor the islanders 24/7 and we have no recording of the use of this offensive language.

“And, at no point, does anyone use that offensive language in rap lyrics or any other time. We do have clear rules on the use of language in the villa.”

He feels he is the victim of “unconscious racism” at the hands of show bosses (Credit: ITV)

Read More: Love Island’s Sherif claims ITV axed him for jibe after ‘kicking Molly-Mae in the groin’

Sherif previously argued his axing from the show was “unconscious racism”.

He said: “I was the only black man in the villa and I was kicked out after ten days. In my opinion, what happened was unconscious racism. There was, I felt, sexism. I feel I wouldn’t have been given that red card if I was a white woman.”

Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.

Related Topics