Nigel Farage and Nella Rose squared off on tonight’s episode of I’m A Celebrity… When the former UKIP leader couldn’t get his mind around the concept of cultural appropriation, he appeared on Get Me Out of Here.
The 59-year-old Brexiteer said you ‘can’t win’ when Nella sought to explain cultural appropriation to him after he showed bewilderment about the concept.
The campmates were discussing the Jamaican pronunciation of water, and after Fred pronounced “wata,” Nigel said that if the First Dates star sang it, “they” would label it “cultural appropriation.”
‘It’s the Jamaican version of saying water. They say ‘wata’,’ revealed Nella Rose, to which Fred clarified: ‘”You got to boil your water,” And they say, “wata”.’
‘In fact if you sang that they’d call it cultural appropriation, Fred. No, they would,’ chimed in the ex-politician.
After Fred suggested people were doing his accent, and asked whether that was cultural appropriation, Nigel replied: ‘It’s when suits. They criticise when suits.’
To this, Nella responded: ‘What do you mean Nigel?’
‘If a white person does a black accent that’s considered to be a crime, that they should be cancelled,’ he replied, before Nella explained how it all depends on the context in which it is said.
‘If you’re taking the piss, then you’re taking the piss,’ she said, clearly. ‘But if you’re not then you’re not.’
‘So it’s sort of can’t win territory,’ commented the former Brexit Party leader.
‘Nah, it just depends on the context,’ responded Nella, keeping her cool, but he pressed: ‘It’s rather like, you know, you go to a fancy dress party, dressed as something, and now the press will say it’s cultural appropriation.’
When asked for an example, Nella stated that wearing blackface is plainly incorrect.
‘If you dressed as a Mexican or whatever it is, you know,’ responded Nigel, before a patient Nella replied: ‘Well yeah because you can’t use somebody’s culture as a fancy dress. The Mexican outfit is tradition to them. That’s been in their culture for decades. That’s why in America they don’t dress up as native Americans. Because it’s not a joke.’
Seemingly confused – or just, as some viewers pointed out, unwilling to listen -Nigel responded: ‘Yeah. I don’t know what the rules are Nella.’
After, chatting to the cameras Nigel explained how there just seems to be this ‘enormous confusion’ over ‘what you can and can’t do’ or wear, before he said: ‘To be honest with you, I’m no further forward as to what’s acceptable and what’s not.’
Chatting to Jamie Lynn Spears after the conversation, a deflated Nella claimed it ‘doesn’t bother’ her, because she ‘expects it from him’ – but explained how it’s his ‘delusion’ that confuses her.
‘It’s the ignorance of not caring about what offends other cultures,’ she said, before Britney Spears’ little sister Jamie complimented her: ‘You carry yourself like a f***ing queen.’
Chatting to the cameras later though, it appears Nella was quite saddened by the conversation with Nigel, as she explained: ‘When Nigel was speaking about cultural appropriation I was so disappointed in him because we’ve been getting along so well and vibing.
‘I was honestly saddened and disappointed by that hurt my feelings, I can’t even lie. Like, bro we live together and these are your thoughts.’
Later in the episode, Nella decided that she was just going to ‘not pay attention’ to anything Nigel – who ‘is going to be Nigel’ – says in regards to race going forward.
Fans were appalled at the interaction, as one wrote: ‘The fact you even aired that @imacelebrity is disgusting, get Nigel out asap.’
Another said, on hearing Ant and Dec chatting about how it was good the pair discussed the matter calmly, rather than arguing about it: ‘Shame on you for putting Black people in this situation.’
Someone else commented; ‘So glad Nella handled Farage in that way! We know he has undertone racist views whether u agree or not but I’m glad she didn’t let it take her out of character, coz that could have gone left, especially if I was in there.’
‘Nigel it depends on the context. Listen to Nella. There is no major confusion at all. Everyday is a school day, listen and be educated,’ wrote another, while someone else said: ‘This is what causes conflict, when people don’t listen.’
Elsewhere in the episode, it was announced that Nella would be exempt from a trial on medical grounds.
Farage is rumoured to be the highest-paid competitor in programme history, and many people have threatened to boycott the show as a result of his participation on the lineup.
During a conversation, comedian Katherine Ryan stated that she would not be watching the event because it makes politicians – such as Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage this year – who have ‘damaged millions of families’ light entertainment.
Katherine told us: ‘I vehemently am against glorifying people like Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage and reducing them to light entertainment fodder when I think that they’re very dangerous people who have directly hurt lots of families.
‘I don’t think that’s a joke, for me, so I wouldn’t be watching. I didn’t watch last year. I take politics quite seriously.’
