Reality star Ollie Locke criticised for killing a crocodile on Channel 4’s The Island
Animal charities have slammed the show
Made In Chelsea star Ollie Locke has been criticised by animal charities for ‘abusing animals’ during his stint on Channel 4’s The Island with Bear Grylls.
Ollie is set to appear on the celebrity version of the show alongside Tom Evans, Zoe Salmon and Lydia Bright for Channel 4’s upcoming fundraiser Stand Up To Cancer, but animal activists have complained, asking for the scene not to be aired.
In the scene which is set to air in October, Ollie is filmed jumping on the back of a crocodile before stabbing it in the rear of its neck.
The Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls | © Channel 4
Upon hearing the details, Ian Knight from the International Animal Rescue said “I feel it is totally unacceptable to kill or abuse animals for entertainment.” Ian went on to add that the crocodile would have “suffered unnecessarily” as Ollie wouldn’t have had the skills to kill it “humanely”.
Ian has since called for the scene to be pulled before the air date next month.
This isn’t the first time The Island has been criticised. Presented by Bear Grylls, the show abandons strangers on a remote, uninhabited island in the Pacific for a month, where they have to use their skills to survive.
When the second series of the show aired last year, the RSCPA complained after a contestant captured a sleeping pig before slaughtering it. A spokesperson at the time said “The RSPCA opposes practices that cause animals pain, suffering or death in the name of entertainment. It’s unacceptable and could easily cause great distress to animals. There’s no excuse for using animals in stunts that carry a high risk of them being harmed.”
Channel 4 are yet to respond to the recent comments.