Boy George loses appeal for Celeb BB entry
Boy George loses appeal for Celeb BB entry
Wednesday, 23, Dec 2009 04:24
By Lewis Bazley.
Singer Boy George has failed in his bid to overturn a Probation Service ruling preventing him from appearing on Celebrity Big Brother.
The former Culture Club singer was released from prison after serving four months of his 15-month sentence for assault and the false imprisonment of a male escort earlier this year.
London Probation had refused the 48-year-old's request to be allowed to appear on the upcoming series of Celebrity Big Brother, as the musician and DJ - real name George O'Dowd - is still on licence and required to wear an electronic tag.
And after a hearing at London's high court Mr Justice Bean upheld the Probation Service's ban on O'Dowd appearing on the reality show.
"I consider that right-thinking members of the public would take the view that an offender serving the non-custodial part of a sentence of imprisonment should not be allowed to take part in a high profile, controversial television production, promoting his status as a celebrity and with considerable financial gain," he commented.
A spokesman for the Probation Service said they were "pleased" with the judgement.
"We believe we made a common sense direction and this has been endorsed by the judge," he said.
"We expect offenders to keep to their licence conditions which are in place to protect the public, punish offenders for their crime and aid rehabilitation."
Richard Clayton, representing the Probation Service, had argued that O'Dowd's possible involvement in Celebrity Big Brother would pose "a high level of risk" to the esteem of the service.
The seventh and final series of Celebrity Big Brother begins on January 3rd with other stars tipped to appear including Pamela Anderson and MC Hammer.