Roxanne Pallett’s career was left in ruins when she falsely accused Ryan Thomas of hitting her during Celebrity Big Brother last year.
With her return to TV on Celebrity Coach Trip: Road to Benidorm this week, her co-stars James and Ola Jordan have spoken out about their experience on the show with her.
Read more: Roxanne Pallett to return to TV screen this week
Speaking on Good Morning Britain to Piers Morgan, the pair who filmed the show with Roxanne before the ‘punch-gate’ scandal happened, discussed their time filming with Roxanne for the E4 show.
Dancing On Ice star James, 40, said: “That was before the whole Big Brother episode, we didn’t know that at the time.”
Read more: Lisa Armstrong thanks Piers Morgan as he criticises Ant McPartlin’s comments about her
However, Piers, 53, took a controversial standpoint by defending Roxanne who had claimed to have been assaulted by the ex Coronation Street star.
He said: “You know what I’m beginning to feel a bit sorry for Roxanne.
“She made a terrible mistake on the show and she got buried for it. It seems like now Roxanne baiting has become a sport and at some point it needs to stop.”
Read more: Gemma Collins breaks silence after tough week after Jason Gardiner row
Ola, 36, refused to agree with the controversial presenter and slammed the former Emmerdale actress for her behaviour.
She said: “Yeah it is but imagine it wasn’t on camera and Ryan was really labelled a woman beater.”
James then added: “It would have destroyed his career.”
But Piers defiantly continued: “I think it was a terrible mistake but at some point I think the hatred needs to be put in context.”
Read more: Fans go wild as Holly Willoughby posts stunning behind the scenes pic from Dancing On Ice
Other stars of Celebrity Coach Trip have spoken out about how they are concerned about being associated with the star, who went into hiding after becoming the most hated woman in the UK after the incident.
Speaking to Daily Star Online Union J’s Jaymi Hensley said: “Roxanne came on the last day. I got on with her – she wasn’t the same person that she was in Big Brother, it was a very different experience.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how she is on Coach Trip, I remember us all saying it when it happened on CBB.”
Do you think it’s time to forgive Roxanne Pallett? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know!