Alexander O’Neal didn’t want to "deal with Arabs" in the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house.
The ‘Criticize’ hitmaker saw Ken Morley removed from the reality show house after he referred to him as a "negro" and continued to use "unacceptable and offensive" language and while Alexander claims he hates racism "more than anything", he insists Arabs are "distrustful".
He said: "I just don’t approve of racism. I just disapprove of it so much. I don’t advocate it, I don’t want anything to do with it or with anybody that feels that way … We are all completely different and we are made different for a purpose."
The 61-year-old star added: "Ok, honestly, Arabs. Arabs – I try not to hate anybody but they are probably my most disliked and most distrustful person in the whole world … So I was hoping I didn’t have to deal with Arabs in the Big Brother house."
Alexander believes Arab immigrants in the United States are encroaching on African-American neighbourhoods and "taking" their jobs.
He told The Sun newspaper: "Black people are very trusting of people of colour, we are liberal to people of colour.
"But I’ve never approved of them, I’ve never approved of them running our stores.
"We’ve got Arabs in Mississippi, I’m like, ‘What the f**k? We’re out in the country here and you’ve got Arabs running this country store.
"Why are you up here taking our money, taking our jobs – I don’t approve of that."
The R’n’B singer – who claims Arab taxi drivers refuse to let black men in their cabs – may want to keep his views to himself in the house, however, as former ‘EastEnders’ actress Nadia Sawalha is said to be "very proud" of her Jordanian roots.
A source shared: "Nadia Sawalha is half Arabic as her actor father Nadim is Jordanian … She would be disgusted to hear Alexander talk in that way and certainly wouldn’t stand for any negativity towards Arabs."