The BBC won’t be entering the danger zone after all. A documentary series starring an ex-footballer turned reality star will not air on their network. This announcement comes after it was revealed that Ashley Cain had a history of allegedly making abusive and misogynistic comments about women.
The series was to feature the former Coventry City player travelling to some of the world’s most dangerous places. Ashley was interviewing young men living on the fringes of society.
Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone has been axed from the lineup
Ashley’s past appears to be coming back to haunt him. The Guardian reveals that the star of Ex on the Beach and The Challenge has some dark secrets. Among them according to the publication is calling women “slags,” “sluts” and “b*tches.” He’s also accused of using the term “psychos,” and has joked about hitting women. All of his comments were publicly visible on X, formerly Twitter, until this week, when Ashley took down his account. The network had shot his documentary series, Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone, last year.
The BBC released a statement on Thursday following this revelation. They say they have “no plans” to air that BBC Three documentary featuring Ashley. A spokesperson for the network said that although Ashley’s controversial posts were from years ago, they are “completely unacceptable.” Admittedly, they say that their vetting process “clearly failed,” and they are currently examining why. There are no future projects in the works for the BBC with Ashley.
Before pulling the plug on this show, BBC executives had been developing Ashley as an on-screen talent who could attract younger audiences. He has over 2 million followers on Instagram. Last year at an event for the Royal Television Society, Nasfim Haque, the commissioning editor for the BBC, said that Ashley was “what BBC Three is about.”
Ashley is far from the first reality TV star to make controversial remarks. Johnny Bananas, from reality shows like The Challenge, was accused of racism last year after appearing on the Netflix dating show Pop The Balloon Live.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK ANOTHER NETWORK WOULD BE WILLING TO ADD ASHLEY CAIN’S SHOW TO ITS LINEUP?
