A Spanish version of the popular reality TV show Big Brother, Gran Hermano, is drawing flakes after it was exposed that a contestant was forced to watch a clipping of her rape that occurred at the show sets while she was unconscious.
Carlota Prado, who was a contestant of the 2017 series of Big Brother, was sexually assaulted on the sets of the TV reality while she was unconscious. The rape incident was filmed by the crew and later Carlota, who was unaware of the sexual assault, was shown the clipping, Spanish digital news source El Confidencial had reported.
It is reported that Prado had to beg to the "super" to stop its screening. The program coordinators then forced Carlota Prado to immediately leave the show premises.
The video of the sexual assault, which now is in the possession of the El Confidencial, shows Prado who was drunk rejecting the advances of Jose Maria López, who was her partner during the show.
The video clippings show Lopez forcing himself on Prado for several minutes before finally, the film crew intervened. Since the explosive revelation by the digital newspaper El Confidencial, Endemol Shine Group that owns the rights for the Big Brother format in a statement has publically accepted its mistake.
Endemol Shine Group is a Dutch-British production and distribution company that also owns the rights for popular programs such as The Voice, MasterChef, Your Face Sounds Familiar, Peaky Blinders, and Black Mirror.
There also has been a major public outcry about the incident and now reports have emerged that as many as 40 brands that advertised with Gran Hermano have severed their ties with the network. Meanwhile, an investigative judge had said that Prado's assailant Lopez will stand trial for sexual assault. Ironically, in Spain, a sexual assault is not considered rape unless there was an act of perceived violence or intimidation.
What is even more shocking is that the Prado, who was expelled from the show, was made to stay in a hotel for five and then she was allowed back the show, where she decided not to pursue the matter further.
This is the first time that rape allegations have surfaces on the sets of Big Brother shows. Rape allegations have previously hit Big Brother shows in South Africa as well as Brazil.
