Celebrity Big Brother: brain injury charity attacks Channel 5 over Gary Busey 'bullying'

Brain injury can have cognitive, behavioural and emotional consequences, which differ from person to person, Peter McCabe, chief executive of Headway UK, told The Telegraph. It can lead to people exhibiting unpredictable, impulsive or erratic behaviour, particularly when in a stressful or unfamiliar environment. Mr Busey is exhibiting challenging behaviour in the house, which may well be as a result of his brain injury.

Busey, who lives in Los Angeles, starred in the action films Lethal Weapon and Point Break and was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar in 1978 for his role in The Buddy Holly Story. Now more famous for his eccentric behaviour and his appearance on reality TV shows, he has attracted the opprobrium of a number of his fellow contestants in the Big Brother house, including Ricci Guarnaccio, who stars in the MTV show Geordie Shore, and James Jordan, a professional dancer who has appeared on BBC Ones Strictly Come Dancing.

He has been the butt of several jokes and last night was singled out for stinging criticism by a number of his fellow housemates in face-to-face evictions, in which each contestant was asked to name the person they most wanted to leave the show. In a tense encounter, Busey, who is also hard of hearing, was called rude, dirty and disgusting.

Bullying of any nature, in any circumstance, has to be condemned particularly when the subject of the bullying is the survivor of a brain injury, said Mr McCabe. It is clear to us that much more needs to be done by Channel 5 to not only protect Mr Buseys welfare but also to educate fellow housemates, and members of the public, about the effects a brain injury can have on a person.

"We have asked Channel 5 to add a message advising those who may have been affected by brain injury where they can obtain help."

Buseys injury occurred when he crashed his motorbike after hitting a patch of sand in Culver City, California, in December 1988. He wasnt wearing a helmet, fractured his skull and, after brain surgery, spent months learning to walk and talk again.

Although he recovered well enough to make a series of films during the Nineties, he became addicted to cocaine and only kicked the habit after suffering an overdose in 1995. He went on to appear on the American TV series Celebrity Rehab, in which he was told by psychiatrist Charles Sophy that his accident had probably had a greater effect on him than he realised. Sophy described it as essentially weakening his mental "filters" and causing him to speak and act impulsively.

Headways announcement follows a string of complaints from members of the public to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Sympathy has also been expressed on Twitter under the hashtag #PoorGary. Concerns have also been voiced about the participation of Kellie Maloney, the ex-boxing promoter formerly known as Frank who recently revealed she was undergoing gender reassignment. She has admitted on the show that she fears she is breaking up.

A spokesman for Channel 5 said: The health and welfare of all the housemates is of paramount importance to Big Brother. They are all independently evaluated before entering the house and closely monitored throughout the series."

READ: Kellie Maloney interview: 'I've been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to my sex change'

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Celebrity Big Brother: brain injury charity attacks Channel 5 over Gary Busey 'bullying'