ITV accused of hypocrisy after launching Loose Women domestic violence campaign due to CBB contestant Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith

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ITV has been accused of “hypocrisy” after the broadcaster launched its newest Loose Women campaign for domestic violence.

The initiative, known as Facing It Together, featured eight of the present’s panelists in a photoshoot and quick movie with the tag line: “Whether you are a survivor or a friend, we are facing it together.”

But the channel has been dealing with rising backlash after Kate Middleton’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, entered the Celebrity Big Brother home on Monday (5 March).

The Duchess of Cambridge’s uncle was fined £5,000 and given a group order lower than 5 years in the past, after admitting to assaulting his spouse in a drunken argument through which she accused him of taking medicine.

Goldsmith, now 58, knocked Julie-Ann Goldsmith to the bottom exterior their house in Wimpole Street, central London, at round 1.20am on 13 October 2017.

He was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after pleading responsible at an earlier listening to to one rely of assault by beating.

One indignant viewer stated: “This is how International Women’s Day in a few days will be celebrated on ITV by promoting both Kate’s Uncle Gary… on CBBUK and the Facing It Together campaign! Hypocrisy and lip service at their finest”.

Women’s Aid launched a press release following his entry into the Big Brother home, accusing ITV of “a lack of awareness” of domestic abuse.

A spokeswoman for the charity stated: “The decision to include a man who has been charged, and pleaded guilty to, assaulting his wife, in the Celebrity Big Brother house demonstrates the lack of awareness that the production team has when it comes to survivors of domestic abuse.

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“The producers should consider how Gary Goldsmith’s appearance will impact women who have survived domestic abuse and how they will feel watching him on TV every night.

“At Women’s Aid, we would urge the producers to consider how they approach this, as for many survivors of abuse, the inclusion of men convicted of abuse in entertainment programmes will already be a sign that these crimes are not taken seriously the entertainment industry has to consider the impact on women of who they give a platform to and derive entertainment value from.”

During his sentencing in 2017, Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot described him as being a “nasty drunk”, including: “You were making your way by taxi.

“Both had been drinking and the taxi driver listened as you argued. Your wife accused you of taking drugs and leaving her alone for most of the evening.

“You called her a nothing and w****.”

Goldsmith was sentenced to a 12-month group order with 20 periods of a rehabilitation order requirement.

He was additionally fined £5,000 and ordered to pay a £170 sufferer surcharge, and £85 in the direction of prosecution prices.

Ahead of his entry into the home, Goldsmith stated he was keen to change perceptions of him, “I think I’m portrayed as this sort of villain character and I’m not. So it’d be nice to show the other side of Mr GG.”

The Independent have approached ITV for remark.

The nationwide domestic abuse helpline gives help for girls on 0808 2000 247, or you may go to the Refuge web site. There is a devoted males’s recommendation line on 0808 8010 327. Those within the US can name the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Other worldwide helplines may be discovered by way of www.befrienders.org