Big Brother 2014 contestant Priya Malik on reality TV, death threats and racism – The Guardian

Australian Big Brother contestant Priya Malik has spoken out for the first time about the racist abuse she received after appearing on Channel Nine’s reality TV show but says that if she was invited back, she would do it all again.

From her first appearance on the show in September 2014, social media users posted racist and xenophobic slurs targeting Malik’s Indian ethnicity, telling her to die and “go back to where you came from”.

The abuse reduced in intensity after the show finished in late November but the 28-year-old high school teacher and aspiring stand-up comedian from South Australia says some users continue to post graphic images and make racist, sexist and Islamophobic remarks.

“I got out [of the house] and expected it to be there, but I did not expect it to be as bad as it was considering this is 2014 and that one in every four Australians have been born overseas,” Malik told Guardian Australia.

One of 16 contestants in the 11th series of the Australian incarnation of the show, Malik made it through to the final week, when she was evicted fourth from last. Ryan Ginns, a 26-year-old graphic designer from Sydney went on to win the show and $200,000 in prize money.

Racist backlash

Born in the northern Indian city of Dehradun to a Hindu family, Malik first came to Australia on a student visa in 2008, while studying for a masters in education at the University of South Australia. Now a permanent Australian resident, she describes herself as an agnostic but says: “a lot of people think I’m Muslim because of my surname and because of the way I look.”

While the abuse Malik has received focuses mostly on her race, some users made comments about her appearance and weight while others called her a “dirty Muslim”. In a series of posts, one commenter told Malik she would look “stunning” if she lost ten kilos and wore a burka.

Abuse directed at Malik on Facebook.
Abuse directed at Malik on Facebook.
Photograph: Supplied

Malik was cast on Big Brother via a new method for 2014 that allowed people to nominate their friends anonymously. Malik says she still does not know who suggested her, but that when she received the notification email, she saw an opportunity to provide a different voice.

“There needs to be more diversity in terms of age, race, sexual orientation in our media,” said Malik. “At the end of the day media is a representation of our society. This [show] is what our teenagers are watching. If they’re watching something bland, that’s going to be their role models.”

A dedicated fan base rallied around Malik and helped take her to the competition’s final rounds despite some of her fans suggesting she had been cast as the house “villain” in the first few weeks.

Death threats

While she was inside the house, the worst instance of social media abuse was a comment on an official Priya Malik fan page which talked of violence and death threats, posted alongside graphic images of women who had been violently assaulted.

“I’d pay so much money to see you tortured and killed,” the same user wrote in a separate comment chain. “Get the fuck off the show and drive your car off a bridge with all your family members in it.”

Another post read: “I can’t wait to get in a taxi an see you so I can shred you till you commit suicide and the world will be a better place.”

Priya Malik abuse
Abuse on the Priya Malik fan page.
Photograph: Supplied.

In one photo, a bonfire had been Photoshopped over the image of a woman who appeared to have been hanged. In another, a woman appeared injured and bound by her wrists and ankles. She was shown being carried on a bamboo pole by two men in military fatigues. The image was posted with the words: “Goodbye and goodnight”.

“Every time I make a post, I expect some sort of racist comment,” said Malik.

Chequered past

The Big Brother franchise is not without a history of controversy. In the 2008 series of UK Celebrity Big Brother, overtly racist comments directed against Indian actor Shilpa Shetty by fellow contestant Jade Goody were allowed to go to air, making international headlines.

In Australia, the 2006 series of Big Brother sparked its own outrage after two male housemates allegedly held down a female housemate while one attempted to force his genitals into her face. And in this most recent series, housemate Gemma Kinghorn’s eviction proved controversial after fans claimed the show had encouraged bullying.

During her short time on the show, Kinghorn often spoke about being bullied during her school years for not fitting in. In the show’s first eviction, participants were asked to select who would be evicted by lining up behind the person they wished to save, a method that echoed the way teams are selected in schools.

In that incident, Malik was the only person who stood with Kinghorn, who later described the experience as “humiliating”. Australian Big Brother’s executive producer Alex Mavroidakis responded to criticism by calling the episode “great television”.

Malik was told about the social media backlash against her by a show producer after her own exit from the house. However, she was not notified of the graphic images and threats posted before embarking on a series of public appearances around the Gold Coast to promote Big Brother. It was only later that Malik realised the level of abuse.

Priya Malik Big Brother
Priya Malik: ‘If I get the chance to go on the show again, I would.’
Photograph: Royce Kurmelovs

“All I’ve done is go on a TV show,” said Malik. “I haven’t done anything personal to these people. I understand that I was opening myself up to judgement, but death threats are uncalled for.”

Her husband Bhushan Malik, 37, who ran a Twitter account for fans supporting his wife’s progress on the show, says the “go back to where you came from” comments began after the show’s September launch.

Bhushan expected some negativity but says the violent threats were “too much for me to handle”. “Normally you’d get the ‘hate stuff’, but this guy was fantasising about how he wanted to kill Priya.”

Following an attempt by a man posing as a real estate agent to obtain their home address, the couple have taken precautions for their personal safety. There is no evidence this man was connected with any threats made against Malik.

She has since spoken to the police about filing a report, but has not taken further action. Endemol, the production company behind Big Brother, have made a psychologist available to Malik but could not be reached for comment.

Fighting back

Other Big Brother contestants have spoken out about the abuse they have experienced online. Fellow 2014 housemate Jake Rich made a video about cyberbullying to promote a short film festival on the issue. In the clip, former housemates read the messages people have sent over social media, many telling them to take their own lives.

Malik has stayed in touch with other housemates, who have been supportive. She said she does not consider herself a victim but a fighter and has no regrets about appearing on the show. She also believes her refusal to be bullied or intimidated means people look to her as a role model.

“There was a guy who I heard from the other day, who is disabled and gay. He wrote that I was an inspiration to him because I taught him to stand up for himself. He had been discriminated against his whole life,” said Malik.

“Women who are in abusive relationships have written to me. An Aboriginal person wrote to me about their experience. A lot of Muslim people have written to me saying ‘thank you for standing up for us’.”

Malik, who is going back to teaching part-time while building her comedy career, said she would not discourage people from participating in future seasons of Big Brother.

“One thing I do appreciate is that they at least put me on a mainstream Australian show. If I get the chance to go on the show again, I would. It sounds insane, but this is what society needs … it’s about time reality TV gets real.”

If you have been affected by the issues in this story, Lifeline is a free, confidential service staffed by trained counsellors – call 13 11 14 or visit their online chat

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