Big Brother has been slated for showing Angie Bowie's reaction to her ex-husband's death

Angie and David were married for ten years.

angie Channel 5 Channel 5

TRUE TO ITS word, the residents of Big Brother are cut off from the outside world.

So while the death of David Bowie was being mourned, his ex-wife, mother of his son Duncan Jones and resident of Channel 5′s BB house was oblivious.

Yesterday afternoon the channel said it had told Angie the news off camera:

Following the very sad news of David Bowie's death, we can now confirm that Angie Bowie has been informed off camera by her representatives.
— Big Brother UK (@bbuk) January 11, 2016

Big Brother UK / Twitter

It also confirmed that she had decided to stay in the house and would be offered appropriate support.

However, the end of last night’s episode featured a teaser for tonight’s Big Brother show and included footage of Angie Bowie’s reaction to the news of her ex-husband’s death.

She said:

I haven’t seen him for so many years, I can’t make a big drama out of it. I just feel like an era has ended with his passing. I’m so very sad.

The footage then cuts briefly to Angie crying and being told to ”take all the time you need” by Big Brother, before another brief shot of her being comforted by fellow housemates David Gest and John Partridge.

angie Channel 5 Channel 5

Angie’s decision to stay in the house, and the decision to broadcast her reaction to Bowie’s death have been widely criticised.

Honestly don't know how angie Bowie can stay in a reality show after learning her former husband of 10 years has died
— shelts (@mitchshelts98) January 11, 2016

shelts / Twitter

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Big brother should've given angie bowie time alone. Her ex husband has just died n they see her grief as another entertainment opportunity
— tom (@lem0nduck69) January 12, 2016

tom / Twitter

Really bad taste to show Angie Bowie's diary room reaction to David's death. Yes, she's staying, but still a horrible moment. #CBB
— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) January 11, 2016

Emma Kelly / Twitter

Big Brother’s follow up show CBBBOTS showed additional footage last night, in which Angie explained to Gest and Partridge that she decided to stay in the house because “I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t”. She also said she didn’t want the press to ‘get to her’ and that she’d prefer to be in the house.

If I don’t leave I look callous, if I stay I look callous, you know what I mean.

After the show last night Channel 5 clarified:

For those asking – Angie was told the tragic news about David Bowie off camera by her agent, then spoke to BB about it in the Diary Room.
— Big Brother UK (@bbuk) January 11, 2016

Big Brother UK / Twitter

The channel has not made further comment.

It’s widely reported that Angie Bowie and David Bowie have been estranged for several decades, and that she does not have a relationship with their son Duncan Jones.

Written by Emer McLysaght and posted on DailyEdge.ie

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