literally....

for nostaligia reasons I just watched the very first launch episode of BB1 - at around 40 minutes in Mel says to Dimwit Darren that he was chosen for the show because he's the 'token black'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLHfRR66quI

a sign of things to come?

All things go in a circle right up to recently when you had Jack sat of the sofa, doing full 'black face' - Bit racist if you ask me, but BB covered things up by saying it was a spray tan

Utter nonsense! (rolls eyes)

It was a spray tan .....

I think she was including herself in the 'token black' label, and it was less racism and more about positive discrimination.

The racist bit happens just after, when Nick talks about people thinking Darren could be a drug dealer because he can support three kids!

God, I'd forgotten what a twunt Nick was.

There's still tokenism, except now it's the token posh guy, the token sex worker, the token overweight guy/girl, the token oldie and the token geek.

Or the token Essex Boy, from Kent.

Hardly ......

I found Nick's drug dealer train of thought somewhat racist but I wouldn't have censored it or warned him. In my opinion BB should be about expressing behaviour not censoring and correcting it. A few exceptions such as violent behaviour of course.

I think when he started singing Camptown Races he went a bit too far tho .

nonsense.

The public are pathetic. There's never been racism in UK BB. I do not care what the sheep say.

Can one not have an opinion? Get over it.

Tell you what I didn't know until recently: Darren came out as gay. I had no idea. I mean, I had my suspicions from the kinda subtle flamboyance he exhibited, but it was still kind of a surprise.

Wow then it must be the only place in the World exempt from it, impressive.

I got a major gay vibe from him when i watched BB1 for the first time last year.

Overt.

BTW I do think there has been racism in UK BB, but the Opening Post is not an example of it IMHO.

Really? I remember being surprised to find out he had a girlfriend and 3 kids as I presumed he was gay

It's amazing how people have forgotten how genuinely nasty Nick was, I mean right after the show people were already saying "so what, he was playing a game", the comments about gays with children were rightly condemned at the time, but now seem to be forgotten.

The fact is he got thrown out for minor rule things, yet that has rather glazed over that their was tons of other unpleasantness that he should have been held account for.

No one was making the distinction but if you thought a contestant would be stupid enough to make overtly racist comments on the biggest 24 hours recorded TV reality show in Britain then I suppose that's a small victory for you.

And that's being liberal enough to say that Jade, Danielle and Ken Morley's weren't overtly racist.

Brian Belo has similar campish mannerisms to Darren. I always assumed Brian is gay and I still think he's in the closet

did Darren actually confirm he's gay?

People can secretly think what they want. They can even commit murder in their minds, and you can d nothing about it!

BB has always over represented some groups compared to population, apart from Muslims.

crazy Ahmed was a Muslim! have there been any others?

I don't think many devout Muslims would go on BB as it would probably be seen as 'sinful'. plus the Burkas would probably be considered a safety hazard

What struck me looking back to the first year was how VERY slowly Marcus narrated.

I know his c5 narration is over the top and loud