Rhianna Evicted from Big Brother Amidst Record Complaints Over Omar's Behavior

Rhianna Collins was evicted from Big Brother during Friday night's live show, following a surge in viewer complaints concerning Omar El Mayer's conduct. El Mayer has become the most complained-about civilian contestant in the show's history, with over 22,000 viewers registering grievances about his alleged controlling and coercive behavior towards Collins.

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, revealed on Thursday that it had received 22,499 complaints related to the situation. El Mayer's behavior has included scolding Collins, 22, for discussing their issues with other housemates and using phrases such as "don't talk about me," "don't cry," "don't look away from me," "sort yourself out," and "fix up."

The significant number of complaints places this incident as the third highest in Big Brother history, behind Jade Goody's racism row (45,000 complaints) and Roxanne Pallett's punch-gate (27,000 complaints). It also surpasses the complaint numbers for any civilian contestant across all 21 series of the show, including its previous runs on Channel 4 and 5.

Last week, show bosses issued Omar a reprimand for his behavior. In the Diary Room, Big Brother informed him that his language and actions appeared to dismiss housemates' feelings and experiences, potentially causing offense. El Mayer responded by stating he had done nothing but look out for Collins and tried to accommodate and care for her, asserting he had no malicious intentions.

Big Brother advised El Mayer to remain mindful of the impact his language and behavior could have on others. Following an episode that aired last Wednesday, viewers expressed discomfort, with some interpreting El Mayer's actions as an attempt at coercive control. Calls for ITV, the broadcaster, to intervene mounted, and the charity Women's Aid issued a statement describing his behavior as "worrying."

Despite the controversy, El Mayer and Collins agreed to put their relationship on pause after a visit from loved ones, who advised El Mayer to consider how his actions might be perceived. However, they later decided to rekindle their romance in Monday's episode.

Rhianna Collins was evicted on Friday night alongside Philip Regan. They were nominated along with housemates Rochelle, Samuel, and Twinks. After her eviction, Collins stated she felt El Mayer had changed after they discussed his behavior.