Big Brother 25 contestant Luke Valentine has been removed from the game after he was caught using a racial slur on the live feeds.
“Luke violated the BIG BROTHER code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur,” CBS and producers told Us Weekly in a statement on Wednesday, August 9. “He has been removed from the house. His departure will be addressed in Thursday night’s show.”
Earlier today, Luke, 30, received backlash from fans after he dropped the N-word in a conversation with fellow houseguests Cory Wurtenberger, Hisam Goueli and Jared Fields.
“We’re in the f—king G’s room, n–ga!” Luke said in a clip, which has been shared via social media. After realizing what he said, he covered his mouth with his hand and attempted to correct himself by saying, “Dude.”
The slip-up earned shocking stares from Cory 21, and Hisam, 45. Luke apologized directly to Jared, who is Black, but the exterminator, 25, brushed it off and said he didn’t care. Jared is among the five Black houseguests competing on this season including his mother, Survivor legend, Cirie Fields, Mecole Hayes, Kirsten Elewin and Felicia Cannon.
Currently, Kirsten, 25, and Felicia, 63, are nominated for eviction. The duo found themselves on the block on night one alongside Cory and Jared. However, current Head of Household Reilly Smedley chose to take the men off the block. With Luke’s exit, it is unclear if the group will still vote to evict either Kirsten or Felicia on Thursday, August 10.
Before his removal, Jared and Luke poked fun at their castmates’ strong reactions to the comment. “I should have made you feel uncomfortable real quick, like, ‘Whoa, bro. What you just say?’” Jared joked on the live feeds before adding, “I don’t give a f—k.”
This is the first time a houseguest has been removed from the show for making a racial slur, but not the first time as cast member has been caught on the live feeds.
In season 15 in 2013, contestant Aaryn Gries made several derogatory comments about people of color throughout the season. Aaryn, now 32, referred to Asian people as “squinty-eyed,” called fellow Black houseguest Candice Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and asked her Korean housemate Helen Kim to “go make some rice.”
Aaryn received backlash for her racist remarks but was never expelled from the game. When confronted by Julie Chen Moonves following being voted out, Aaryn apologized and claimed she never meant to “come off racist.”
“Being Southern, it is a stereotype and I have said some things that have been taken completely out of context and wrong. I do not mean to ever come off racist,” she said at the time. “That is not me and I apologize to anyone I have offended for that.”
Big Brother airs on CBS Wednesdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
