Kate Middleton’s Uncle Evicted From ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ House

Kate Middleton’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, has been booted off British reality show Celebrity Big Brother—the first housemate to be evicted from the house by public vote.

In his five days in the CBB house, Goldsmith garnered headlines by speaking about Kate, the state of her health, his dislike of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and his belief that former—and possibly next—president Donald Trump had made the world a “safe place.” In various conversations, Goldsmith insisted Kate was “100%” not racist, called Markle a “stick in the spokes” of the British royal family, and insisted that Kate was “getting the best care in the world,” and that “she’ll be back, of course she will.”

Kate’s absence from public life since January when she had abdominal surgery has become the focus of much rumor and speculation. Palace officials insist she will be back around Easter-time, but interest in the matter has bubbled away feverishly online. This week, blurry photographs of Kate in a car with mom Carole, Goldsmith’s sister, were published by TMZ.

Kate Middleton ‘Getting Best Care in the World,’ Uncle Says‘SHE’LL BE BACK’

Tim Teeman, Matt Young, Brett Bachman

Of speaking about Kate on the show, Goldsmith reportedly said in his exit interview, “To be fair, people were asking me about it but they didn't know what else I was. Why are you here if not for that—people were asking me a lot of questions because they didn't know what to ask. I did volunteer a lot—but hey, you caught me. I wanted to change what people think of me and who I was.

“It does hurt for when you're always referred to being a ‘bad uncle.’ I wanted to change that. What an opportunity to have a sneaky peek behind the world of celebrity. I’ve tried to be myself, chuck in a royal thing a little too often. It was interesting to see an insight into their world. In my world, I am center of attention but this is a different level.”

Asked why he discussed his connections to the royal family so much, he answered: “Because people kept asking me,” adding it was “perhaps a bit too often.”

“I've had the best time, I went in with one agenda and I’ve achieved it in five days,” Goldsmith said of his time in the house. “I don’t consider myself to be a celebrity, I just happen to be related to someone who is a big celebrity.”

When asked if he genuinely had no interest in becoming a celebrity, Goldsmith said, “100% totally. I want to change what people think of my personality. It hurts when people refer to things that happened 20 years ago which aren’t all true, they call me a buncle (meaning: bad uncle).”

Goldsmith also said he thought Kate would—like him—vote for fellow housemate Levi Roots to win: “100 per cent. Somebody who puts other people first, and that’s our Kate.”

Earlier, Goldsmith had told housemates that he thought he had become “a national villain.” In 2017 he was fined £5,000 ($6,400) and given a community order after pleading guilty to one count of assault by beating his fourth wife Julie-Ann.

Because of this, his participation in the show had been criticized by British domestic violence charity Women’s Aid. “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,” Women’s Aid said in a statement.

Before he entered the Big Brother house, Carole was said to be “infuriated” by his decision to appear on the show, reading him “the riot act” over it.

Goldsmith was ultimately nominated to face eviction by fellow housemate Sharon Osbourne, who said: “I don’t think he's that comfortable here, I think he's awkward with himself being here too. It’s very tough for him; he told me about things. He’s brave to have come in here. I somehow don’t think this is the place for him. He’s the oddball. If I went into his world, and suddenly plonked myself in the middle of his boardrooms, I’d feel the same. I think he’s insecure too.”