"Muslims Like Us" - a similar reality Tv programme to "Big Brother" is a new two-part show that will screen on BBC 2 next week and there has been some controversy over the creator's idea that it should include a Radical Islamist with extremist views. The Guardian reported that Abdula Haqq will be one of the ten participants who all stay together in one house. We are all familiar with the original "Big brother," but the difference is that these participants are not confined to the house and nobody will be evicted.
Strange bedfellows will star in 'Muslims Like Us' - stereotyping busted!
Creative director of the show from Love productions, Kieran Smith, has put together a strange bunch of "bedfellows" considering the preconceived stereotyping of Muslims in the minds of many westerners. Haqq who agrees with concept of beheading westerners and who said he would go to fight in Syria if he had a passport, will be joined by a cast of nine other British Muslims and these reportedly include "a stand-up comic who runs a homeless shelter, a gay man, a 76-year-old woman, and a teacher who prays every day but believes she is regarded as 'the Muslim girl gone bad.'"
The show is due to air at 9pm on Monday and the inclusion of Haqq is the sticking point with BBC viewers - (one assumes non-Muslim viewers.) Haqq was formerly known as a boxing champion named Anthony Small.
The Mirror explains that Haqq previously threw "his backing behind ISIS and their execution of US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley." In his online rant about the death of the journalists Haqq described Foley as Mr. Beheaded Infidel and said his death was a form of provoked "retaliation" against the "United Snakes of America."
Radical Islamist Haqq cleared in court for planning to go fight with ISIS
Small (Haqq) was cleared of charges in the Old Bailey last year for planning to travel to Syria to fight with ISIS.
The reason he walked free was his extremist views are not new and "exist within the Muslim community." Whilst the BBC have defended their decision to include Haqq so that full profile of Moslems peoples can be represented, one wonders if they care more about their ratings. The draw-card of a radical Islamist who likes to behead westerners may draw a fascinated if revolted audience.
Expect hot debate about 'Muslims Like Us' on and off screen
A spokesperson for the BBC said that Haqq's views do not go unchallenged by the other Muslims on the show, saying to the Guardian that they are in fact "robustly challenged and debated amongst the group." Small, the controversial radical Islamist who also goes by the name of 'Sugar Ray Clay Jones Jr.' was born and raised in London. His radical views on the new "Muslims Like Us" show are bound to guarantee some hot debate both in the show and from the other side of the screen.
You can watch the trailer here below:
