Celebrity Survivors producer says team did not expect alleged behaviour

A producer for the reality show Celebrity Survivors told the Länsi-Uusimaa District Court that the production team had not expected someone to behave as alleged in the case involving fighter Makwan Amirkhani, Yle reported Wednesday.

Amirkhani is accused of forcing singer Mira Luoti into a sexual act. He denies the charge. The trial continued Wednesday, with witnesses connected to the show due to testify.

Jukka Karhula, a Warner Bros producer who worked as a subcontractor on the programme, said he had heard that Amirkhani insulted people during filming, behaved threateningly and sank into a swamp. He could not remember when he first heard about the reported behaviour.

Karhula said Luoti had told him that she felt anxious and afraid during filming. He said he was sorry to hear about her experience, which he described as negative and distressing.

Luoti’s defence asked why filming was not stopped when the alleged conduct came to light. “I can’t say. I don’t want to speculate,” Karhula replied.

Karhula said he had not heard during filming about Luoti’s claim that Amirkhani masturbated on set. He said he learned of it some years later. He also said he had discussed Amirkhani’s behaviour with Luoti and a representative of her record label, Sony Music.