ASHLEY Cain has spoken out for the first time since he was axed by the BBC after allegedly making degrading comments about women online.
The reality TV star penned an apology on Instagram, addressing “language I used many years ago that I am not proud of”.
The 35-year-old was dropped by the Beeb last week after historic social media posts came to light which were deemed “offensive” to women.
His BBC Three documentary Into The Danger Zone has been shelved for its second season.
In response to a disastrous day as he was dropped by his management, Cain took to Instagram to address the controversy.
“You may have seen a recent article concerning language I used many years ago that I am not proud of.
“I don’t deny it. I don’t excuse it. And I certainly don’t condone it,” he began.
Cain blamed the loss of his football career as one of the factors which caused him to feel “lost, frustrated and unsure of where my life was heading”.
He went on: “The reality is that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through experience.
“Through mistakes. Through hardship. Through being forced to look in the mirror and ask yourself whether you’re willing to become better.”
Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that Ashley had been dropped as a client by his management company Off Limits amid recent events.
“Ashley has been dropped by Off Limits, who also represent stars such as Jimmy Bullard, Jesy Nelson and Harry Redknapp,” an insider told the publication.
“They have a roster of talent who are household names, they don’t want to be associated with him after the vile posts came to light.
“Ashley is now pretty much blacklisted in the industry, and it’s doubtful he will ever be on television again.”
Ashley no longer appears on Off Limits website as a listed client.
The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.
He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.
Derogatory terms allegedly written in 2014 and 2015 include “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”.
He also said he’d like to “choke slam” and “spit in the face” of Love Island star Jessica Hayes while commenting on the ITV2 reality show.
Cain’s apology post said he has learnt lessons from fatherhood over the past decade.
His daughter Azaylia Cain sadly died in 2021 of a rare form of acute myeloid leukaemia.
She was just eight months old when she died after a battle with the aggressive disease.
“Losing my daughter changed me forever,” Cain wrote.
“Since then, I have dedicated my life to trying to honour my daughter’s legacy and help others wherever I can.”
The reality star added: “I cannot change what I said over a decade ago. What I can do is take responsibility for it.
“What I can do is continue striving every day to be a good father, a good human and a positive force in the lives of others.”
Cain’s shock slurs sit uncomfortably alongside his more recent work as a BBC presenter exploring masculinity and gangs in dangerous locations around the world.
A BBC spokesperson said: “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.”
The BBC were reportedly unaware of the offensive content prior to recruiting Cain as a host.
Dad-of-three Cain was a professional footballer at the time of his oldest offensive tweets.
Following contracts at Coventry City and non-league Barwell, he was forced to retire from the game in 2014 due to the effects of a serious achilles injury.
He turned to reality TV and starred in the first series of Ex on the Beach. More recently he appeared on Celebrity SAS, The Real Full Monty and Celebrity MasterChef.
Cain was left devastated in 2021 when his daughter Azaylia died from leukemia aged just eight months.
He set up The Azaylia Foundation in her name and has tackled gruelling endurance challenges to raise money and awareness.
