Ashley Cain has been accused of using derogatory language towards women in a series of resurfaced social media posts dating back several years. The TV personality and former footballer was an active tweeter before joining the BBC to film his documentary series, Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone, earlier this year. The show, now commissioned for a second season, features the 35-year-old Ex on the Beach star traveling to Brazil to meet young men in Rio's most dangerous favelas, exploring the impact of gang-related criminality on survival.
However, Cain's own views have come under scrutiny after he was allegedly revealed to have referred to women as 'psychos', 's**gs', 's**ts', and 'b*****s' in various abusive posts. He also replied to social media users with explicit remarks, telling one to 'suck a d**k' and another to 'go and choke on a c**k'. The Guardian exposed the comments, which appear to go back at least 15 years. His X account (formerly Twitter) now seems to be deactivated.
Alleged offensive tweets
Cain allegedly tweeted 'jokes' about hitting and slapping women, including one about 2015 Love Island contestant Jessica Hayes, saying he 'would have to choke slam real quick' if in the villa with her. In another post, he wrote that he wanted to 'd**k f**k her and her big mouth, spit in her face and then f**k her off'. It is claimed he also posted about sexual practices that 'blur the boundaries of consent', such as a 2011 tweet describing an extreme sex act against a 'chick' or 'b***h'.
In 2012, while watching a Channel 4 documentary, Cain tweeted that he wanted to 'talcum powder pimp slap these b*****s already'. In 2013, he allegedly tweeted: 'Eating bad food at weekends is like when a girl says, “Don’t cum in me”, but you do it anyway, then think, “S**t”,' followed by crying laughing emojis. Other posts include a 2014 tweet stating a guy who 'bangs 100 girls' is a 'ledge' while a girl who 'bangs 100 guys' is a 's**g', and another saying: 'I DO NOT.. I repeat I DO NOT think EVERY girl is a slag! There are some absolute PHENOMENAL women out there.. They’re just a rare commodity.'
In 2015, Cain wrote: 'I know some s**ts that think they’re not s**ts cuz they s**t discreetly. Lol.' In a reply to another user, he typed: 'The only thing that’s desperate around here is your pictures with your s**t t**s. Now suck a d**k, and f**k off.' The Guardian claims there are 'dozens' of similar posts, all publicly available for over a decade until the profile was removed.
BBC's response and vetting questions
The revelations have raised questions about the BBC's vetting process before hiring Cain to front his own series, shot in 2024 and aired in 2025. A BBC spokesperson told Metro: 'We are very clear we expect the highest standards of behaviour from everyone who works with or for the BBC. When allegations are brought to our attention, we take them seriously. We will consider this information carefully and do not intend to comment further at this stage.'
While Metro understands that Into the Danger Zone's second series has not been scheduled for transmission, Cain shared on Instagram last week that it was due for release next month. Alongside a picture of himself with an award for the docuseries, he wrote: 'Series 2 is coming in July… and trust me, we’re only just getting started.'
Previously, BBC executives praised Cain, with commissioning editor Ricky Cooper describing him as someone who 'connects with young men in a truly exceptional way'. Another commissioner, Nasfim Haque, said last year: 'Ashley is what BBC Three is about – a new talent giving us a new perspective.'
Cain's background and career
Cain rose to prominence in the late 2000s with his professional football debut for Coventry City, later playing for Luton Town, Oxford United, and Mansfield Town. He then moved into TV, appearing on Ex on the Beach, where he gained a reputation for problematic behavior and was branded the 'bad boy of MTV'. During the show's first season in 2014, he was sent home early for attempted assault on a male contributor. A former girlfriend described him as 'controlling', though Cain said he was 'quite a lenient guy' who 'lets her do what she wants to do'.
Cain returned for future seasons, gaining over two million online followers. He also earned respect for his fundraising efforts after the death of his daughter, Azaylia, in April 2021. Azaylia was eight months old when she died from an aggressive form of leukemia diagnosed at eight weeks. Cain and his partner, Safiyya Vorajee, raised over £1.5 million for her treatment in Singapore. The couple later separated but established The Azaylia Foundation to support families affected by childhood cancer. In 2024, Cain ran, kayaked, and cycled over 3,000 miles, raising nearly £200,000.
Reps for Ashley Cain and The Azaylia Foundation have been contacted for comment.
