Ex-Big Brother star sues employer for unfair dismissal after allegations of homophobia

Ex-Big Brother contestant Richard Newman is suing his former employer for unfair dismissal, claiming that they ‘wanted to get rid of him’ after disciplinary meetings with management that had involved allegations of homophobia.

The 43-year-old – who appeared on the seventh series of the Channel 4 reality show back in 2006 – says he was the only person made redundant from his role as an administrator at the Birmingham-based Skillsfirst Ltd, after the firm underwent restructuring.

An employment tribunal hearing has heard how the Birmingham-based company, which designs and develops qualifications for employers and colleges, was “dealt a blow” when the Skills Funding Agency announced a cut in its funding.

Newman was subsequently told his role was under threat in September, before being made redundant on October 1, reports the Birmingham Mail.

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The court also heard that a disciplinary hearing had taken place between Newman and managing director Myra Wall the previous June, after he claimed he had been a victim of homophobia, but was later ‘insubordinate’ with her.

Newman was issued a written warning for his behaviours following the disciplinary.

Ms Wall denied that the former reality star’s redundancy was linked the the incident, insisting that company had followed the the correct procedures throughout the redundancy process – including offering him other roles within the company.

She said: “We did try to accommodate his input, we took his suggestions seriously, we didn’t just dismiss them.”

Mr Newman – who also worked as a presenter for two years on Gaydar Radio – told the court: “It seemed odd that it was just me, am I the only person in the organisation?

“It felt even throughout the whole process that I was the only one, that other colleagues weren’t in the pool.”

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