Loose Women star Denise Welch defended Nikita Kuzmin over his Celebrity Big Brother row with Fern Britton as she called out the ‘passive aggressiveness’ of one star

Loose Women star Denise Welch has hit out at Fern Britton over her comments to Nikita Kuzmin on Celebrity Big Brother.

Denise said she “felt sorry for” Nikita after he was left confused by a run-in with Fern in a recent episode. Fern appeared to call out a comment Nikita had made to her earlier in the week, which she took offence to, suggesting he was being ageist.

She appeared to think Nikita was seeing her as old and like she needed things to be explained to her. He was baffled as to where her remarks had come from, before explaining she had taken it the wrong way in awkward scenes.

Fern said to him: “You and I get on alright when we’re playing games. Can I tell you? How old are you now?” Nikita answered “26” with Fern replying: “When you’re 66, you’ll have exactly the same brain which is why you have to understand that I’ve still got a 26 year old brain.”

Baffled, Nikita then asked Fern: “I’m a bit confused about this?” Fern then explained to the professional dancer: “You shouldn’t be confused. You never change your brain. Everything is hilarious – all bum jokes, all c**k jokes. Everything is still as it is when you’re 66.”

Denise said she ‘felt sorry for’ Nikita, after he was left confused by a run-in with Fern (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock for Big Brother)
Not understanding where the conversation was going, a perplexed Nikita then asked Fern: “Are we having a beef? What’s happening?” “I’m just saying never look at an old person and think they’re old,” Fern insisted to her fellow housemate.

“We’re still in our heads 26.” Still confused, Nikita asked: “Referring to?” to which Fern told him: “When you said to me the other day, you were very sweet. ‘I like your stripy top, stripes are in fashion Fern.’

Bless you, you were passing me a compliment but also saying ‘actually they’re in fashion’ as if it was a surprise to me. It wasn’t a surprise.”

Discussing the moment amid rumours of a feud between her and TV presenter Fern, Denise defended Nikita as she called out Fern for being “passive aggressive” and faking a smile as she did so.

Denise suggested Nikita did nothing wrong and had not meant his comments the way they were perceived.

Loose Women star Denise Welch has hit out at Fern Britton over her comments ( Image:ITV1)
She said on Loose Women: “I know it’s a heated environment and emotions are heightened, and you feel very vulnerable.

Sometimes there are reactions when you’re in there that people watching think are over the top, but actually you’re away from everything and everybody that you love.

However if there’s one type of behaviour that I cannot stand it’s passive aggressive behaviour. The definition is indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of addressing them.

“I cant bear anything that’s done behind a sickly painted smile. I felt very sorry for Nikita because I genuinely think it wasn’t ageist.

I think it was because he nominated her four times and she didn’t like it, and I felt sorry for him. I don’t think he’s got a mean bone in his body in there and knowing him a little on the outside.”