Big Brother episode pulled from ITV to edit out contestant’s T-shirt

It's sparked controversy among viewers

Ali, one of the show's housemates, was seen wearing a watermelon top that appears to be from Wear The Peace's collection.

The watermelon has become a symbol synonymous with the pro-Palestine movement, and has seen a resurgence since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza, where over 42,000 people have been killed.

Watermelons, which share the same colours as the Palestinian flag, have been used as a pro-Palestinian symbol since the Six-Day War in 1967, when they were reportedly banned in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Freedom Watermelon Tee donates 100% of their profits to Pious Projects of America, which provides relief for Gaza via an on-ground team who provide food, water and medical aid.

However, Ali's T-shirt has sparked a row over antisemitism.

Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted an Ofcom complaint, asking "How is this becoming the norm?" in a statement on X.

"A Big Brother (@bbuk) ‘housemate’ was seen wearing a T-shirt depicting the map of Israel as a watermelon—a symbol widely associated with anti-Israel sentiment," they wrote.

"This graphic has caused significant distress among the British Jewish community, who regard it as a genocidal message similar to the slogan ‘From the River to the Sea’ which calls for the elimination of the world’s only Jewish state."

They continued: "How did the show’s staff allow this shirt to be worn, let alone broadcast it on national television? This incident represents a serious violation of broadcasting standards."

They concluded by saying they had submitted a complaint to Ofcom.

Metro reports that Ali's T-shirt has since been edited out of the show, with a Big Brother spokesperson issuing a statement.

"All Housemate items are checked by our production team before they go into the Big Brother House to ensure they comply with the Rules and compliance requirements," they said.

"Big Brother does not allow any personal items into the House that could be deemed harmful.

"We regret that the implications of this particular item of clothing were not fully understood in our bag checks or prior to broadcast of last night’s show.

"We apologise to any viewers who have been offended by the broadcast and assure viewers that Big Brother was unaware of the implications of the image."

They continued: "The item of clothing has been removed from the House. The Housemate has been spoken to and they have expressed that they are unaware of the implications and did not wish to cause any harm or offence.

"Any offensive messaging associated with the image does not reflect the values or beliefs of Big Brother."