A former contestant on the popular series *The Traitors* has become the center of controversy following the resurfacing of old social media posts. Marzook Bana, known as “Maz” during his time on the show, reportedly made deeply troubling comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany in Facebook posts dating back to 2021.
The posts, brought to light by Jewish News, included a stark accusation leveled at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, drawing a parallel to the actions of Nazi Germany. Bana allegedly wrote that “Nazis [were] all over again,” claiming “the oppressed have become the oppressors.”
Further fueling the outrage, Bana reportedly accused “Zionists” of having “short memories of what Hitler did,” expressing dismay at what he perceived as a lack of remembrance of the Holocaust. The posts concluded with a condemnation of world leaders for being “subservient to ISRAEL!”
Shortly after the reports surfaced, Bana’s Instagram account vanished, displaying a message indicating the profile was no longer available. The timing of the account’s deletion has raised further questions and scrutiny.
The production company behind *The Traitors*, Studio Lambert, has stated that these comments were not discovered during their standard background checks. They maintain that they employ reputable firms to conduct thorough vetting of all participants.
Bana himself has issued an apology, stating that he never intended to offend, marginalize, or discriminate against anyone. He firmly denies allegations of antisemitism, asserting his viewpoint is rooted in humanitarian concerns rather than political ones.
However, the controversy has sparked significant criticism of the BBC’s vetting procedures. Jewish organizations are now questioning how such views could have gone unnoticed during the contestant selection process.
Studio Lambert explained that the problematic comments were found on third-party accounts, making them difficult to identify through their usual checking methods. They emphasized that political views are not considered during casting and that the show itself is not political in nature.
The BBC echoed this sentiment, stating they were completely unaware of the posts due to their presence on external platforms and that they do not endorse the expressed views. Despite this, the situation has prompted calls for greater accountability.
Campaign Against Antisemitism has strongly condemned the situation, suggesting either a complete failure of due diligence or a disturbing indifference to the views of the contestant. They characterized Bana’s beliefs as “deranged conspiracy theories.”
The organization is demanding a formal apology be aired during a future episode of *The Traitors* and is calling for senior BBC staff involved in the show to be questioned by the House of Commons culture select committee.
The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the responsibility of broadcasters to thoroughly vet participants and ensure their platforms are not used to promote harmful ideologies.
