The hosts of The Sunday Project have slammed Channel Seven for their decision to hire British commentator Katie Hopkins for Celebrity Big Brother Australia.
The controversial media personality was dumped from the network's coming season of the reality show on Sunday after she shared her plans to flout Australia's strict quarantine rules.
Comedian and The Project panelist Jan Fran says that Channel Seven was courting controversy - and it has spectacularly backfired.
Anger: The hosts of The Sunday Project have slammed Channel Seven for their decision to hire British commentator Katie Hopkins (pictured) for Celebrity Big Brother Australia. The controversial media personality was dumped from the network's coming season of the reality show on Sunday after she shared her plans to flout Australia's strict quarantine rules
'What was someone expecting when they did hire Katie Hopkins to do this? She's a troll. She courts controversy. The knew that is what she would bring to the Big Brother house,' she said.
'It's telling she changed her mind because she's flouted COVID restrictions, not because of the heinous things that she's been saying for years and years.'
Fran went on to express disgust over Hopkins' use of the term - 'Final Solution' which is used to refer to the mass murder of Europe's Jews during the Holocaust.
Courted? Jan Fran (pictured) says that Channel Seven was courting controversy - and it has spectacularly backfired. 'She used the term 'Final Solution' after the Manchester bombing in 2017. That is a phrase that needs to be relegated to the bin of history. She is using it in 2017 and Channel Channel Seven is inviting this in inviting her out here,' she said
Comments: 'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000? Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) chimed in, joking. 'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'
'She used the term 'Final Solution' after the Manchester bombing in 2017. That is a phrase that needs to be relegated to the bin of history. She is using it in 2017 and Channel Channel Seven is inviting this in inviting her out here,' she said.
Her co-host Peter van Onselen agreed: 'They want controversy but maybe didn't think it would lead as far as this.
'She will go back to the UK and complain about us and build her brand locally off what we've done even though what we've done is the right thing.'
Cut off: Tommy Little (pictured) abruptly cut off the conversation, putting his hand to his ear piece and stating: 'I've been told we have mentioned another network too much and we have to move on'
'Don't you think this is what Channel Seven wanted? It cost them, how much is an economy ticket from the UK, $150,000? Lisa Wilkinson chimed in, joking.
'That's all it's cost them which is cheaper than a marketing budget'.
Tommy Little abruptly cut off the conversation, putting his hand to his ear piece and stating: 'I've been told we have mentioned another network too much and we have to move on.'
It comes after Katie Hopkins, 46, was dumped from Big Brother VIP over her comments regarding quarantine rules.
Gone: It comes after Katie Hopkins, 46, was dumped from Big Brother VIP over her comments regarding quarantine rules. In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, a network spokesperson confirmed: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP'
In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, a network spokesperson confirmed: 'Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP.
'Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine.'
Hopkins, who recently flew to Sydney ahead of her appearance on Seven's all-star season of Big Brother, caused public backlash over the weekend after claiming she was planning to deliberately flout restriction rules while staying in hotel quarantine.
At 5am on Saturday, Hopkins took to Instagram live to post a speech where she 'called out' the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne.
During the video, Hopkins openly mocked the 14-day hotel quarantine rules revealing she planned to deliberately break them by opening her door completely naked and mask-free to workers who deliver her food.
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