Omar El Mayer has been evicted from the Big Brother house, narrowly missing a spot in the final. His departure comes after becoming the most complained-about contestant in the show's history, with over 22,000 viewer complaints regarding his alleged "coercive and controlling behaviour" towards on-off girlfriend Rhianna Collins.
El Mayer and fellow housemate Frankie were the ninth and tenth contestants to be evicted after receiving the fewest votes to win from the public. This leaves Catrin, Rochelle, Sam, Lynx, Twinks, and Yasmin as the finalists competing for the championship title.
Rhianna Collins previously spoke about El Mayer's behavior towards her in a TikTok livestream, stating that she had to re-watch footage of their interactions to understand the extent of his actions. "I would just say, wait for the reunion because there's somethings that I've watched back that I'm like ‘I wouldn't, I would not ever, ever let a boy speak to me like that’," she said.
El Mayer's behavior in the house included scolding Collins for discussing their disputes with other housemates and using phrases such as "don't talk about me," "don't cry," and "fix up." Collins was evicted the previous Friday.
The record number of complaints positions El Mayer's conduct as the third highest in Big Brother history, following Jade Goody's racism row and Roxanne Pallett's "punch-gate." Last week, El Mayer was reprimanded by show bosses for his behavior, with Big Brother addressing him directly about his language and actions, noting that he appeared to be dismissing his fellow housemates' feelings and experiences.
In response to the reprimand, El Mayer stated that he had "done nothing but look out for her" and had not intended any malice. However, Big Brother cautioned him to "always be mindful of the impact your language and behaviour can have on others."
The charity Women's Aid also issued a statement describing El Mayer's behavior as "worrying."