‘The Challenge’ Star Georgia Harrison Speaks out After Claims She Posed in Blackface Resurface

The Challenge star Georgia Harrison may still be sequestered on the MTV reality show, but a spokesperson for her has spoken out amid claims that she posed in blackface in recently resurfaced photos. In those photos that were reportedly taken in 2014, the British Love Island star, 24, can be seen with her face painted black.

Harrison’s spokesperson said that the photos were taken at a child’s birthday party and that she allowed the birthday boy to paint her face. “Georgia let the birthday boy pick what she had done and that was it,” the spokesperson told Mail Online.

“The little boy asked for her face to be painted black and then asked for her to have a mustache like a cowboy. At no point did Georgia think it was offensive or hold any negative connotations.”

“Georgia would like to publicly apologise for any hurt or upset she’s caused with this old photograph and will learn from the situation,” the spokesperson continued.

After the image resurfaced online, outraged fans slammed the reality star on social media. “Georgia really was out here doing black face,” one wrote. “Also it’s no one’s place to say if this is acceptable or not. It’s extremely offensive, and someone needs to take accountability,” another wrote.

While many people slammed Harrison for the photos, others defended her, including her Love Island co-star Theo Campbell, who took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the controversy.

“I wasn’t going to say anything as it’s BS to me. But think, loveisland is 10x bigger over here then the challenge is in the U.S. if anyone thought she was being racist it would have been picked up on it already. @georgiaharisonx is away filming atm so can’t tell us who she was,” Campbell wrote in tweets that have since been deleted.

“She’s one the biggest pro LBGT people, she’s all about equality and is one of the least racist people you’ll ever come across. So leave it out. Look at the low life other challengers trying to shade her name as they didn’t get along with her..”

Ex on the Beach star Rogan O’Connor also spoke out in her defense. “Not always seen eye to eye with Georgia.. or Theo for that matter, but gotta agree with him on this one.. Georgia looks like a child in those pictures and although I know ‘black face’ is offensive, I really think her silly make up was more ignorance than racism,” O’Connor wrote.

Big Brother season 19 winner Josh Martinez also appeared to weigh on in the matter. “It’s so crazy to me how some people wait for one negative thing to happen so that they can jump all over it and attack some ones character,” he wrote. “Kind of sad these tv people instead of helping each other out some of them are waiting on your downfall.”

Harrison first found fame with a brief stint on The Only Way Is Essex in 2014 before becoming a UK household name with an appearance on Love Island in 2017. She gained an American fanbase last year when she finished in eighth place on The Challenge last year, and is again competing on the MTV show this season.

Photo credit: Mark R. Milan / Contributor / Getty