I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star Babatunde Aleshe opened up about his young son facing discrimination at the age of four years old.
Introducing the topic, Loose Women host Charlene White said: “Discrimination is still a very real threat to so many different communities in this country.
“What may surprise people sometimes is that it’s not just adults that have to deal with that discrimination, children do as well.”
Babatunde explained: “My son who is seven years old, at the age of four when he was in reception, he was racially discriminated against at soft play.
“So I have taken him to soft play and this kid who he is friends with, he was there also and runs over and goes ‘By the way you’re not allowed to sleep at my house because your black and my mum is white and my dad is white and we don’t allow black people in our house’.
“And I couldn’t believe… ” before Charlene had to clarify: “He is four right?” to which he clarified: “He is four.
“I could not believe what I was hearing and I sort of ushered the child away just like ‘Ok thank you goodbye’ and I was so shocked and so stunned.
“I was looking at my son and I could tell he had no clue as to what just happened but I spoke to the parents and they weren’t taking any accountability for what just happened.
“They were trying to compare what happened, and his mum was saying, ‘Well I am a big woman and it is just like being big’.
“And I was like ‘Well no it’s not, you can go to the gym and lose that weight but my son can’t ever change his skin colour’ and neither would we want him to.'”
Viewers of the show were stunned by Babatunde’s story and took to their X accounts, formerly known as Twitter, to express their shock.
@TinaTrinaMeena noted: “I am shocked to hear the story by Babatunde and what happened to his son, at just four years old too!”
Gareth Noble expressed: “Shocking, why would anyone try and justify the action of racism and discrimination.”
Paula Kinks said: “I’m so sorry to hear what happened to your sweet son Babatunde. Nothing will ever justify them words and actions.” (sic)
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.