Former footballer and television personality Ashley Cain has reportedly been dropped by the BBC following a series of revelations surrounding his past social media activity and concerns raised during the filming of one of the broadcaster’s programmes. The 35-year-old presenter, best known for appearances on reality television before moving into documentary work, has found himself at the centre of growing controversy after historic posts containing offensive and misogynistic language resurfaced. The BBC has since confirmed that it has no plans to work with Cain on future projects and will not air a second series of his documentary programme Into The Danger Zone.

The situation intensified following reports that Cain had previously been removed from a separate BBC production after concerns were raised about his conduct during filming in Las Vegas. According to reports, production on the documentary was halted after allegations that Cain appeared intoxicated while on set, resulting in him being replaced.

The programme, titled Sin City: The Real Las Vegas, was being produced as part of the BBC’s factual documentary output when concerns were reportedly raised by members of the production team. While some footage filmed during the project remained in the final programme, Cain’s involvement was significantly reduced after production resumed with another presenter.

Alongside questions over his conduct during filming, scrutiny has also focused on a series of historical social media posts dating back more than a decade. Reports revealed that Cain had used derogatory language when referring to women and had posted comments that many critics described as deeply offensive and inappropriate.

The BBC acknowledged that its vetting procedures had failed to identify the material before Cain was hired for a number of projects. The broadcaster has since launched an internal review into how the checks were carried out and why concerns were not flagged earlier.

Cain had been viewed by BBC executives as a presenter capable of connecting with younger male audiences and was given a prominent role fronting documentaries exploring crime, masculinity and social issues. However, the latest revelations have led to renewed questions about the corporation’s recruitment and background-checking processes.

According to The Guardian in 2014, in response to a since-deleted tweet he perceived to be homophobic, Cain tweeted that one female user should “go and choke on a c-ck you s-l-t”. To another female user in 2015 he wrote: “The only thing that’s desperate around here is your pictures with your sh-t t-t-ts. Now suck a d-ck, and f-k off.”

The controversy marks a dramatic fall from grace for the former reality TV star, whose profile had grown significantly in recent years through television appearances, charity fundraising efforts and documentary work. Cain has 2.1 million followers on Instagram, after gaining prominence through the MTV reality show Ex on the Beach. Since the death of his daughter Azaylia in 2021 from leukaemia, he has become a prominent fundraiser, setting up a foundation in his daughter’s name.