Celebrity Big Brother producers have come under-fire for using Aretha Franklin's song Respect during the 2018 launch show.

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The song played as Natalie Nunn, star of US reality series Bad Girls Club, entered the house, while a voice-over detailed her alleged celebrity feuds with Rihanna and Chris Brown. Outraged viewers took to Twitter to label the decision "massively disrespectful", as it came just hours after singer Franklin had passed away from pancreatic cancer.

"Playing Aretha to Natalie Nunn's entrance is massively disrespectful," @chris_facey_uk wrote, "Big Bro should be ashamed."

@LynPaul6 concurred. "Oh wow! Can't believe they are playing the amazing Aretha Franklin singing Respect whilst this woman in white comes on, especially today," she wrote.

And it was enough for Oriane Messina to clock out of the series entirely. "Playing Aretha over her entrance is beyond. CBB, I'm out. Enjoy the series. X"

Check out more reactions below.

Channel 5 declined to comment on the story.

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Elsewhere, a lot of love has been pouring out for the singer on Twitter, with legends of the music world such as Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey and Missy Elliot all paying tribute to her in the hours following her passing.

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Ben AllenOn Demand Writer, RadioTimes.com
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