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Janina Youssefian (archive picture 2019): After an extended acquaintance with Dieter Bohlen, she became known as a "carpet slut".
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Felix Hörhager / dpa
After a racist statement to Linda Nobat, the broadcaster RTL threw candidate Janina Youssefian out of the "jungle camp" early on Monday.
The 39-year-old was escorted out of the camp by employees.
Her participation contract had been terminated and she would start her journey home as soon as possible, RTL announced via Twitter.
"RTL does not tolerate such behavior," it said.
One condemns “any form of racism and discrimination in the strongest possible terms” and “does not give a stage to people who do not conform to this attitude”.
Youssefian and her fellow candidate Nobat got into a heated argument after surviving a jungle test together and insulted each other.
In this context, Youssefian made a racist remark towards Nobat and said »Go back into the bush where you belong.«
This was immediately criticized by the other candidates: "It doesn't work that way, nowadays things like that are no longer without consequences," said Jasmin Herren, for example.
And Harald Glööckler explained: »I think to myself, is it still okay?
Inexpressibly embarrassing.«
Youssefian tried to apologize to Nobat: "I'm sorry if that came across as racist.
It wasn't meant that way.” However, the former “Bachelor” candidate did not accept the apology.
She had heard Youssefian, but wanted to avoid her in the future, she announced.
"Anyone who says something racist is also a racist," said the 26-year-old.
There has only been one comparable case in the history of the show: in 2008, rapper DJ Tomekk was kicked out in the third season after a private video of him appeared showing the then 32-year-old showing the Hitler salute.
Since then there has been no such situation, said an RTL spokesman.
The 15th season of the reality show "I'm a star – get me out of here!" began on Friday.
The winner should be announced on February 5th.
This time the show will be filmed in South Africa – instead of in Australia as before.
This year, eleven candidates moved to the »jungle camp«.
Originally there should have been twelve, but singer Lucas Cordalis had tested positive for the corona virus at the South African location.
RTL and Cordalis had initially hoped for a delayed move.
On Sunday evening, however, moderators Sonja Zietlow and Daniel Hartwich said the risk was simply too great – and Cordalis would not follow suit.
aar/dpa
