Fans were left divided on Thursday after she was shown drying her hair topless, without any censoring.
But Celebrity Big Brother fans were not impressed on Saturday, calling out transgender TV presenter India Willoughby after she was seen telling drag performer Courtney Act that she had a ‘phobia’ of drag queens.
The highly-respected journalist appeared to cause another CBB controversy after discussing transgender issues with Courtney – real name Shane Gilberto Jeneko – confessing that her ‘weird phobia’ was ‘not a personal thing’.
In trouble: Celebrity Big Brother fans were not impressed on Saturday, calling out transgender TV presenter India Willoughby after telling drag performer Courtney Act that she had a ‘phobia’ of drag queens
Courtney, who entered the house with seven other male arrivals on Friday looked stunned at the broadcaster’s statement, and attempted to shut down the conversation by laughing, as she said: ‘OK…well we can talk about that’ before the awkward encounter ended with an uncomfortable hug.
Meanwhile, India had hit the headlines just a day after entering the famous CBB compound, after she claimed people can’t ‘distinguish between permanent reassignment and drag’.
Speaking to Maggie Oliver on Tuesday, she said: ‘For people like me it’s not a part time thing and it’s not a choice.
‘That word transgender can mean everything from Ru Paul to someone who’s Bob one day and Barbara another day and I think that cheapens the seriousness of it.’
Confused: The highly-respected journalist caused another CBB controversy after discussing transgender issues with Courtney – real name Shane Gilberto Jeneko – confessing that her ‘weird phobia’ was ‘not a personal thing’
Bemused: Courtney, who entered the house with seven other male arrivals on Friday looked stunned at the broadcasters statement, and attempted to shut down the conversation by laughing and said: ‘OK…well we can talk about that’
Fans didn’t take too kindly to India’s apparent double standards, with many branding her hypocritical for her lack of acceptance of Courtney.
One fan wrote on Twitter: ‘Courtney’s ability to vocalise LGBT concepts with such clarity puts India to shame. She’s fighting acceptance but is so shut off to other people’s views. She couldn’t even find it in herself to accept a drag queen.’
Another one added: ‘I’m sure India wouldn’t act too kindly to someone saying they had a phobia of transgenders so why is it ok for her to go up to Courtney and say she has a phobia of drag queens…also not entirely sure I believe this “fear”‘.
A third commented: ‘India is so hypocritical tbh, she wants to be accepted by yet doesn’t accept or like Courtney/Shane’.
Friends? The awkward encounter ended with an uncomfortable hug by India, who tried to smooth the blow of her potentially upsetting statement
The hot topic of gender has come up numerous times since the first stars walked into the house on Tuesday. CBB fans were left split over India’s topless moment on the show on Thursday, where her chest was left uncensored.
Some viewers claimed show bosses were objectifying the newsreader by not blurring her chest as she is transgender, yet others claimed India knew what she was doing by being openly topless.
During the episode, the camera panned to the newsreader sitting topless with no explanation, leaving viewers baffled.
No longer divided: Fans didn’t take too kindly to India’s apparent double standards, with many branding her hypocritical for her lack of acceptance of Courtney
Some viewers claimed India was aware of her actions, tweeting: ‘Why did #cbb feel the need to show India topless? Surely it should of been censored. India knows exactly what she’s doing, she knows what show she’s on and knows that if she’s sat topless in the bathroom it will be shown on tv.’
Others claimed there was a double standard, as they wondered if any of the other housemates would be defended if they stripped off.
Fans tweeted: ‘I think it’s great India can be comfortable in her own skin, but if any of the other Women were to get their breasts out it would be frowned upon! Inappropriate? @bbuk’
MailOnline have contacted a representative for India, along with a spokesperson for Celebrity Big Brother.
Stripped bare: Celebrity Big Brother viewers were divided on Thursday as India Willoughby was shown drying her hair topless, without any censoring