Channel 4's new reality programme Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing has ignited controversy after a contestant made comments praising Adolf Hitler during the opening episode.
Aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade, who holds the title of 7th Baronet of Maunsel, was paired with George, a former prison officer from East London, as part of the Jonathan Ross-hosted series that shackles people with opposing worldviews together.
While touring his 14th-century Somerset estate, the 79-year-old showed his partner a painting created by the Nazi dictator in 1913.
Describing Hitler, the baronet stated: "He was a good painter, wasn't he? He was very good at oratory, very good at history, very good with children, and he loved music. And he's good with dogs."
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Channel 4's new reality programme has ignited controversy
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When George suggested he "sounded like a fan," Sir Benjamin responded: "No. He was slightly difficult for other reasons."
The 60-year-old former prison guard found the artwork deeply troubling, describing it as "abhorrent" and challenging his partner's decision to display it.
"I wouldn't want his painting in my house because of what he did to humanity," George told Sir Benjamin.
"That is a horror of a human being do you not see that as abhorrent to some people?"
The contestant was accused of being a 'fan' of Adolf Hitler
|CHANNEL 4
Sir Benjamin attempted to justify owning the piece, insisting: "That is just German art in that period you've got to respect it."
The pair had been at odds from the moment they were chained together, with George later declaring "you upper classes are fucking barmy" as tensions mounted.
During their time at the Somerset residence, George was also shown statues that appeared to depict enslaved African people, along with dogs named after Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Kwasi Kwarteng.
The situation deteriorated further when George became embroiled in a dispute with one of Sir Benjamin's friends regarding the Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.
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The six-part series aired its first episode last night
|CHANNEL 4
Following this confrontation, the 79-year-old aristocrat announced: "I give up. I've had enough actually."
Sir Benjamin then marched through his property demanding that production staff return his mobile phone, despite programme rules prohibiting contestants from having their devices.
When the crew declined to hand it over, the baronet dragged George down to the basement where he retrieved a pair of bolt cutters.
The pair failed to last even 13 hours together before Sir Benjamin severed their restraints, ending their participation in the competition well short of the 10 days required to remain in contention for the £100,000 prize.
Viewers quickly took to social media to express their disgust at Sir Benjamin's remarks.
One user wrote on TikTok: "Sir Ben was absolutely foul."
Another viewer wrote: "Having a painting from Adolf Hitler in your house is absolutely disgusting."
However, some found entertainment in the chaos.
Jonathan Ross
|GETTY
One viewer described the programme as "pure cinema" and called Sir Benjamin "the absolute madlad rocking an original Hitler painting in his gaff."
"This is wild TV," penned another, while someone else wrote: "I couldn't take my eyes off the TV, which says something!"
The six-part series, which Mr Ross describes as a "survival show, where you have to survive someone else," requires 18 contestants to remain tethered to their ideological opposites around the clock, including during showers and bathroom visits.
A Channel 4 spokesman told GB News: “Handcuffed brings together a broad cross-section of British society to live together, talk, listen and learn from each other.
"As viewers of the programme will see, Sir Benjamin's views were immediately and robustly challenged by his fellow participant George and were not left unchecked.”