Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing viewers were introduced to one of the show’s most controversial contestants in tonight’s episode (March 10) — a former political candidate called Bob who was previously dropped by his party after making an alleged racist comment.
The Channel 4 series, hosted by Jonathan Ross, sees nine mismatched pairs literally chained together as they travel across the UK. Contestants must live, travel and complete challenges while handcuffed 24/7, with the last pair standing taking home £100,000.
But things quickly took an awkward turn when viewers met Bob, a 70-year-old retired solicitor paired with Chris, a 38-year-old youth worker.
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It soon emerged that Bob — whose full name is Robert Lomas — previously made headlines during the 2024 general election campaign after allegedly making racist comments that saw him publicly disowned by Nigel Farage.
Who is Bob from Handcuffed and what was the racist comment he made?
In tonight’s episode, Chris introduces Bob to members of his family, including his grandmother. However, the meeting becomes tense when she reveals she recognises him from previous headlines.
Bob’s full name is Robert Lomas. He sparked outrage during the 2024 general election campaign after allegedly making racist remarks while standing as a candidate for Reform UK in Barnsley North.
According to reports at the time, Lomas was accused of saying: “Black people in Britain should get off [their] lazy [bleep]s and stop acting like savages.”
The controversy led to him being dropped by Reform UK just days before voters went to the polls.
Following the backlash, party leader Nigel Farage publicly distanced himself from Lomas.
“I want nothing to do with them,” Farage said at the time, referring to Lomas and two other candidates involved.
Despite being removed from the party’s roster, Lomas’ name remained on the ballot paper because it was too late to change the official documentation. He ultimately stood as an independent candidate.
There are no public reports that Lomas has ever apologised for the comments.
Bob and Chris on Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing
In promotional interviews, Bob said he signed up for the unusual experiment because he was intrigued by the challenge.
He explained that taking part sounded “interesting” and like “a type of experiment” he had never considered before.
He also admitted that everyday activities became surprisingly difficult while physically attached to another person.
However, Bob said he was surprised by how well he and Chris were able to cooperate during tasks.
For Chris, the appeal of the show was the chance to spend time with someone completely outside his normal social circle.
“I’m naturally curious about how people think and live,” he said. “And I wanted to experience life from the other side.”
The series is built around exactly that idea — placing people with wildly different backgrounds, views and lifestyles together in the hope they might challenge each other’s perspectives.
As Jonathan Ross explains, the aim is to force contestants to “talk, listen and perhaps learn from each other”.
What does Bob say about the comments on the show?
Chris confronts Bob about the controversy in tonight’s episode. Bob explained that he had witnessed a riot in London and was “appalled” by what he saw.
“Everything’s racist if you want it to be,” Bob told Chris when questioned about the language he had used.
“Okay, I could’ve used better words, but it gets to the point where we can’t say anything,” Bob added.
Read more: Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing viewers have already picked their series 1 winners
Watch Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing tonight (March 10) on Channel 4 at 9pm.