'Horrified' Scott Cam responds to The Block homophobia accusations
He speaks out following the tense exchange with Mitch and Mark that stunned fans
The Block host Scott Cam says he is ‘horrified’ by an exploding scandal over perceived homophobia on the show, after contestants Mitch and Mark kicked back at apparent insinuations about their alleged living habits and tastes possibly inconveniencing any neighbours of the dwelling they are creating.
After a tense scene in which the boys challenged Cam over perceived innuendo about the way they live their lives, the couple labelled Scott's critical words about the placement of their living room as ‘inappropriate and offensive.’
WATCH: Mitch and Mark lash out at Scott Cam on The Block
Now Cam is in damage control about the drama, insisting he wasn’t implying that because the couple are gay that they might be focussing on building the apartment around a wild partying lifestyle that could legitimately upset any neighbours.
‘I think there was a miscommunication that they were perceiving when I was saying “you guys” and I was referring to — which I have many times — that they're cashed up empty nesters, which is something those boys are,’ said Cam to 9 Entertainment.
‘That's what I thought they were upset about, so I had no knowledge of their thoughts that I was referring to them and their sexuality. I didn't think that because I wasn't doing it.
‘I'd be horrified if somebody felt uncomfortable or compromised by their lifestyle.’
While it seems unlikely that Mitch and Mark refer to their sexuality as a 'lifestyle', as if it were akin to a liking for outdoor sports or nudism, the duo have yet to respond to Cam’s defence.
The drama exploded when Cam repeated observations that a competing team had adjusted their plans ‘to get away from the noisy people in your place.'
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Mark then responded assertively that this was a misapprehension.
‘There’s no noisy people. People need to cope with the fact that there are multiple living spaces in all metropolitan homes and they need to actually step away from it because they have no idea,’ he argued.
Mitch continued: ‘It is a living space as any house in any suburban part of Australia has.
‘And if they’re making a judgment about us — because they’ve often said, “People like us” — I need to understand what does that mean? Are you judging us?’
When Scott caught on to what Mark was referring to, he rebutted, ‘I certainly don’t think they are making a judgment about you guys personally.
‘It’s a judgment about having an entertainment space next to a master bedroom.’
Many viewers agreed with the couple, taking to social media to express their opinion about the episode.
Mitch said in a piece to camera interview later: ‘I find these comments inappropriate and offensive and I’d rather just leave that alone. I’d rather just leave it alone totally.’
In a previous episode, Mitch claimed Scott had made similar comments before.
‘Scott Cam has said to me, “This is a party house, for people like … us’,”’ he told producers.
‘I don’t know what he means. Is he making a judgmental about gay people? That because of our age, and that we’re gay, that we’re going to be partying? If he’s making a judgment like that, when he doesn’t know who we are, then that’s a homophobic comment.’
