The Football Association has scrapped a new cookery show that was set to feature Yung Filly, after the rapper and content creator was charged with rape and assault.
The FA announced on Wednesday that it had partnered with the internet personality – real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos – for a series called Freestyle Cooking, made as part of the ‘Greater Game’ campaign.
He had previously played for England in the charity football match Soccer Aid in 2020, joining the likes of James Bay and Olly Murs on the team.
England football stars like Bukayo Saka, Ezri Konsa and Jarrod Bowen were slated to appear on the show, which was going to be rolled out on YouTube, England Football’s social media pages, as well as Yung Filly’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Following reports on Wednesday (October 9) that Barrientos had been arrested in Brisbane and extradited to Perth the following day, the FA removed the show and any promotional content relative to it from its channels.
On October 9, Barrientos appeared in Perth Magistrates Court and was charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and four counts of sexual penetration without consent (via The Independent).
Barrientos, who is currently on tour in Australia, was also charged with one count of impeding another person’s breathing or circulation by applying pressure to their neck.
The alleged assault of a woman in her twenties took place on in a Perth hotel room on September 28, following the rapper’s performance at the Bar 120 nightclub on September 27. He was subsequently arrested in Brisbane and extradited to Perth, and per BBC News, has now had his bail application approved.
It is reported that images of the woman’s injuries allegedly caused by Barrientos were given to the magistrate by the prosecution.
“No ordinary person can consent in these circumstances,” the prosecution said. “Across her body is a history of violent acts… We say these photos and what is alleged is beyond the pale, beyond what could be considered to be a consensual act.”
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.