In response to the controversy, ITV apologized and assured viewers that the offensive item had been removed from the Big Brother house.

The watermelon imagery is historically linked to Palestinian nationalism and has been associated with anti-Israel sentiment, leading to distress within the British Jewish community.

Big Brother UK is facing significant backlash after contestant Ali Bromley wore a pro-Palestine T-shirt featuring a watermelon graphic that depicts a map of Israel.

Bromley, a forensic psychologist, expressed surprise at the attention her shirt received and claimed she did not intend to cause harm.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism reported that the shirt caused 'significant distress' among the Jewish community and has lodged a complaint with Ofcom, the UK media regulator.

The production team acknowledged that while all housemate items are checked for compliance, they did not fully grasp the implications of Bromley's T-shirt.

Critics accused the show of promoting genocidal views, claiming the imagery on the shirt calls for the elimination of Israel.

ITV admitted the oversight in their content checks and expressed regret for any offense caused.

Many fans threatened to boycott Big Brother in protest of ITV's decision to edit the episode, expressing outrage on social media.

The episode featuring the controversial T-shirt was initially removed from the streaming service ITVX but later restored with the shirt cut out of certain shots.

This incident is not the first time the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused tension within the Big Brother house.

Bromley's T-shirt, identified as a 'Freedom Melon Tee' from Wear the Peace, contributes profits to humanitarian aid in Gaza.