Angie Bowie, David Bowie’s wife from 1970 to 1980, is in the Celebrity Big Brother house across the pond, so she had no idea David Bowie had passed away until Big Brother broke the news to her. At first, she was stoic upon learning the news, saying “I haven’t seen him in so many years I can’t make a big drama about it… but I feel an era has ended, it’s so very sad.”
She then had a bit of a meltdown, bursting into tears as she was comforted by her fellow Housemates David Gest and John Partridge and dramatically sobbing: ‘The stardust is gone.’
Many people are understandable upset with Big Brother house for exploiting her pain. As millions of fans mourned the news of the rock legend, some viewers formally branded the scenes ‘insensitive’ and ‘in bad taste’.
Now, a spokesperson for the broadcasting regulator has told Mirror Online: ‘We’ve received 13 complaints about Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5.
‘We will assess these complaints before deciding whether to investigate or not.’ MailOnline have contacted a representative for Channel 5, but are yet to receive a response.
The 66-year-old’s manager Ray Santilli spoke out on BBC Radio 5 live on Tuesday as it emerges Channel 5 may face an OFCOM investigation over its treatment of David Bowie’s death.
Mr Santilli spoke to Radio 5 live on Tuesday to explain his client’s decision to stay in the house, insisting that Angie was told of David’s death off camera by himself before she decided to remain in the house.
‘She had plenty of time to consider her position. She made the decision to go back in the house, she made the decision to be interviewed afterwards,’ he said. ‘Obviously when Big Brother was talking to her and asking questions, it is emotional. The whole Big Brother experience is emotional and she knew that before she went in to the house.’
He revealed that Angie had a long chat with himself and members of her team off camera before she sat in the diary room for the footage shown on Monday night. ‘We took her off-camera and explained the situation. She had plenty of time. She’s a very intelligent, very measured woman and it was emotional,’ Mr Santill explained. ‘She took the time to think about the ramifications. She decided that she wanted to continue, she didn’t want to be seen to be cashing in and leave the house immediately. It’s a sanctuary for her there. She’s now part of a family, for better or for worse, and it seems to be working out quite well.’He added: ‘She’s a genuine person, she’s happy for people to see her as she is. She went in there knowing that emotions would be laid bare for everyone to see. Channel 5 have been magnificent. They’ve left it entirely up to her to make the decision. She had no pressure. She’s an intelligent woman and she knows what she’s doing.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3395744/Channel-5-face-OFCOM-investigation-broadcasting-footage-David-Bowie-s-ex-wife-Angie-learning-death-CBB.html#ixzz3x9vAPXqh
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(via Daily Mail)