The BBC has called for a full review of background checks on The Apprentice after offensive tweets from contestant Levi Hodgetts-Hague emerged. The posts, made around a decade ago, described Muslims as 'dirty', women as 'slags' and 'dogs', police as 'pigs', and expressed support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
A BBC spokesperson said the corporation was 'completely unaware' of the comments and described them as 'totally unacceptable'. The independent production company, Naked, has been asked to review its social media checks, as 'the process has clearly failed in this instance'.
This is not the first time the show has faced controversy over contestants. In January, Dr Asif Munaf, a contestant from the 2024 series, was struck off the medical register for antisemitic, racist and sexist posts. Previous contestants have also been jailed or caused outrage for controversial remarks.
PR expert Julian Henry said Naked bore 'ultimate responsibility' for vetting, while Professor Jamie Medhurst of Aberystwyth University suggested the BBC may need to review how it works with independent producers. He noted the pressure to cast 'interesting' characters who create drama, which can lead to corners being cut in background checks.
Alex Segal of InterTalent agency explained that reality shows like The Apprentice use ensemble casts, where each person fits a specific role. He said social media checks are 'not bulletproof', as offensive views may be missed if they don't use specific search terms. 'Clearly it slipped the net,' he added.
