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Omar’s actions towards Rhianna in the Big Brother house drew over 7,000 Ofcom complaints, with Refuge joining Women’s Aid in releasing a statement.

The fallout from Monday evening’s Big Brother continues after fans were left disgusted with Omar’s behaviour towards Rhianna.

The pair, who have became an item in the famous ITV house, had an altercation and viewers were fuming with the way he spoke to her. He was filmed sternly telling her not to talk about him and saying: “Your feelings aren’t fact unfortunately.”

They appeared to have made up on Tuesday. Nonetheless, more than 7,000 people sent in their complaints to Ofcom and now the charity Refuge has also shared concerns about the show.

A statement for the charity, which supports sufferers of domestic abuse, said: “Refuge is deeply concerned by the behaviours witnessed during the current series of Big Brother. Media outlets have a responsibility to prioritise participant welfare and to ensure that harmful behaviour is identified and addressed appropriately.

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“Broadcasters must also actively choose not to amplify individuals displaying abusive behaviour. At a time when one in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, it is vital that public platforms do not contribute to the normalisation of abusive attitudes or behaviours.

“Every survivor deserves to be heard, believed, and protected – both on television and in their everyday lives. Refuge stands in solidarity with all survivors of domestic abuse and calls for media companies to be held accountable for the safety and wellbeing of contestants.”

The charity concluded: “We call on all broadcasters, producers and media organisations to use their platforms responsibly, placing safety, dignity and accountability at the heart of their decision-making.”

ITV issued a statement of their own following the uneasy scenes. They said: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behaviour and language.

“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and any instances of inappropriate behaviour are responded to appropriately. Welfare and safeguarding are prioritised throughout the production, with a dedicated welfare team available to support Housemates before, during and after their time in the House.”

Women’s Aid also said on Instagram: “We’re seeing coercive and controlling behaviours being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother. We’ve been contacted by many viewers who have expressed concern. Not only does Big Brother risk minimising survivors’ experiences, it also risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment.

“Producers should understand their responsibility to keep contestants emotionally and physically safe. The women in these programmes are real people and need real support. We continue to urge television companies such as ITV to engage with experts like Women’s Aid to understand the nature of abuse and how they can do better to protect contestants.”

The issue arose as viewers watched on as an upset Rhianna looked to end the duo’s relationship. She questioned his maturity in conversation and was later called to the Diary Room.

She was asked by Big Brother if she was okay and she told them: “I’m not that good but I’ll be fine. Obviously me and Omar have not been good over the last few days and sometimes I don’t like the way he speaks to me.”

She added: “I wouldn’t let a boy speak to me like that outside of here so why am I letting him speak to me like that… If it keeps going in circles, we can just be friends.”

I’m A Celeb star Dean McCulloch, a regular guest on Big Brother companion shows, said: “Omar needs to be removed from the house with immediate effect.”

For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk

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Close race expected as left-wing Lula seeks fourth non-consecutive term against right-wing Flavio Bolsonaro, son of convicted former president.

Polls have opened in Brazil’s presidential election, once again pitting left-wing incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against a right-wing candidate from the Bolsonaro family – Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Some 160 million registered voters are eligible to cast ballots in Sunday’s elections, which will elect lawmakers, governors and senators.

If no presidential candidate wins more than 50 percent of valid votes, the top two contenders will proceed to a run-off on October 25.

Most opinion polls ahead of the vote showed a close contest, with Lula holding a marginal advantage over Bolsonaro that tightens further in a potential second round.

Lula, of the Workers’ Party, is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term. The 80-year-old, who previously served as president from 2003 to 2010, wants to continue his series of social programmes aimed at addressing inequality.

Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party, has promised a hard stance on crime and insecurity. The 45-year-old has also pledged close collaboration with the United States under President Donald Trump.

His father is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence over his role in a coup plot following his election loss to Lula by 1.8 percentage points in 2022. The far-right leader’s conviction and that of several military officers raised questions about the strength of Brazilian democracy, reviving past traumas of the 21-year-long period during which Brazil was ruled by a US-backed military dictatorship.

The presidential election has been dominated by issues such as crime, insecurity and the high cost of living. Corruption and concerns about US intervention in the country’s domestic affairs have also loomed over the campaign.

A recent survey by Quaest says violence was cited as the biggest concern by 31 percent of respondents, followed by corruption (20 percent), economy (19 percent) and healthcare (12 percent).

“The stakes of this election are incredibly stark because the candidates stand for such opposing visions about what Brazil’s recent history means,” Andre Pagliarini, an assistant professor of history and international studies at Louisiana State University and the author of a book on Lula, told Al Jazeera.

He added that while Lula embodies the “consolidation of Brazilian democracy since the end of the dictatorship”, the Bolsonaro family argues that “the institutions that Brazilian democracy has erected since the end of dictatorship are either rotten and unresponsive”.

With reporting by Brian Osgood