Roxanne Pallett: 'I massively apologise to Ryan'

Roxanne Pallett has apologised to Ryan Thomas, saying she "overreacted" when he "punched" her on Celebrity Big Brother.

Her appearance on Channel 5's debut Jeremy Vine show was her first interview since leaving Celebrity Big Brother this weekend.

The incident has since received over 11,000 Ofcom complaints.

"I massively apologise to Ryan, his friends and fans and every single person who watched that," Pallett said.

"[It was] an overreaction to what wasn't a malicious act.

"I was sensitive and emotional and mistook what was playful - I apologise for it, I shouldn't have questioned his motivation."

• Roxanne leaves CBB house after 'punch'

• 11,000 complaints over CBB 'punching' episode

Contestant Ryan Thomas received a warning after Thursday's episode, which appeared to show him punching Roxanne during a play fight.

Big Brother bosses pointed out that while "almost play fighting" he "punched Roxanne in the ribs".

"We both know and Roxanne knows there was no malice, hurt or anger in anything I did during this time. I am sorry and I understand," he said.

Channel 5 say they "monitor contestants and intervene when necessary".

The reaction to the incident was largely in support of Thomas, with Roxanne Pallett's family choosing to delete her social media accounts whilst she was in the house after they received thousands of messages from the public.

Ryan Thomas was accused of punching Roxanne

Pallett addressed the social media comments and said: "I don't blame anyone, I understand everyone, I had to realise I'm dramatic and all the things people are calling me, I am.

"I need to better myself and this is a serious subject and is something I need to focus on.

"I need to rebuild my career and my personal life, this has overshadowed everything and I'm taking this massively seriously."

She added that she didn't want people to think she was undermining them, saying: "I have been a victim of domestic abuse. I've worked with Women's Aid because of my own experience and perhaps they were right, my reaction was a tell-tale sign I had been in a situation like that.

"I would be horrified if people thought I had discredited and undermined abuse.

"After it happened, my mind ran away with me and everything in that house becomes so heightened - a look, a comment an action, your insecurities and sensitivity - in the moment it felt worse than it was."

Lucy Mecklenburgh appeared on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire

Her interview comes after Thomas' girlfriend, former Towie star Lucy Mecklenburgh appeared on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire.

She described the events on Celebrity Big Brother as "hard to watch".

"We know Ryan wouldn't hurt a fly, we all know the truth but for him to go through thinking everyone on the outside thinks he's a woman beater.

"His mum and brothers are in bits but we don't want people saying things like this when he has a daughter."

She also asked that Pallett "publicly apologise to Ryan", which she did a short time later on Jeremy Vine.

Mecklenburgh also addressed Thomas' warning and asked that Celebrity Big Brother remove any strikes against the actor.

"I want Channel 5 to revoke the warning, in the past they've been for serious things and he didn't do that, people are angry and there are so many Ofcom complaints - everyone can see with their eyes that nothing happened."

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