The BBC has cancelled Ashley Cain's show Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone after the Guardian revealed disturbing social media posts where he described women as “slags”, “sluts” and “bitches” and joked about hitting and choking them. The broadcaster admitted its vetting process “clearly failed”, but new reporting shows concerns about Cain's online comments were raised with the BBC last year.
Background of Ashley Cain
Ashley Cain, a former footballer, gained fame on Ex on the Beach and built a large Snapchat following by posting videos of himself having sex with women. In 2015, he denied accusations of capturing and sharing sexually explicit photos and videos of a woman without her consent. His public social media profiles contained numerous troubling statements, such as “talcum powder pimp slap these bitches already!” In an Instagram post, he stated, “I don’t deny it. I don’t excuse it.”
BBC's motivation and failure
The BBC hired Cain in an attempt to connect with young men, who increasingly prefer online personalities to traditional broadcasters. In 2025, the BBC praised Cain's “exceptional” ability to engage this demographic. However, critics argue that this approach cynically assumes that misogyny is a key component of modern masculinity. The Guardian's investigation revealed that concerns about Cain's online behaviour were raised internally but apparently ignored.
Reality of young men's views
Despite the rise of the manosphere, data shows that young men in Britain are among the most progressive demographics. They tend to vote for left-of-centre parties and hold more progressive views on women and feminism than older generations. Most young men are angry about issues like unaffordable housing, insecure work, and rising costs, not feminism. Misogyny is expressed by a small minority, while the majority blame the rich and powerful for societal problems.
Contrast with other presenters
The media's definition of “connecting with young men” is inconsistent. Gary Lineker, a popular presenter, was suspended in 2023 for criticising the government's asylum policy and left the BBC in 2025, partly due to his social media posts about Israel. This level of scrutiny was absent for Cain. The BBC has shown it can engage young men positively, as seen in Race Across the World with the friendship of Jo and Kush, and the Gareth Southgate documentary.
Conclusion
Rohan Sathyamoorthy, a 20-year-old writer, argues that masculinity should not involve degrading women but rather caring for others and standing up for the vulnerable. He calls for media representation that reflects this reality, not the paper masculinity of the manosphere.
