'You're not the boss here.' 5 things that made us rage from Andrew ...
Content warning: This story mentions sexual assault and may be distressing to some readers.
Over a month after he was released into house arrest, Andrew Tate has sat down with the BBC in a highly combative interview.
The controversial social media influencer is being investigated by Romanian prosecutors on allegations of rape, people trafficking and exploiting women.
Speaking to BBC journalist Lucy Williamson from inside his Romanian home, Tate confidently denied the allegations against him.
"We have an open criminal investigation, I am absolutely and utterly sure I’ll be found innocent," he said in his first TV interview with a major broadcaster since his release in April.
"I know the case better than you, I know it intimately and you don’t, I have seen all the criminal files and the evidence against me and you haven’t, I know the truth of what happened and you don’t.
"And I’m telling you absolutely and utterly, I’ve never hurt anybody, that the case that’s been put against me is completely and utterly fabricated and I’m never gonna be found guilty of anything."
Watch a snippet of Andrew Tate's BBC interview. Post continues below.
During the interview, Williamson remained calm and did not hold back from asking Tate, who has been dubbed 'the most dangerous man on the internet' the tough questions.
However, the answers weren't always easy to listen to.
Here are five moments from the interview that infuriated us.
1. Andrew Tate claimed the BBC invented a woman named Sophie.Tate did not appreciate when Williamson mentioned the testimony of a woman, identified under the pseudonym, Sophie, who previously spoke to BBC Radio 4's File on Four about her relationship with Tate.
Sophie, who is helping Romanian prosecutors with the investigation, told the radio program Tate pressured her into doing webcam work and having his name tattooed on her body.
When asked about her testimony, Tate called Sophie "imaginary" and claimed she was "invented" by the publication.
"I'm doing you the favour as legacy media, giving you relevance, by speaking to you. And I'm telling you now, this Sophie, which the BBC has invented, who has no face. Nobody knows who she is. I know."
"The BBC did not invent her," Williamson reassured.
2. Tate told Williamson she wasn't the 'boss here'.When speaking about Sophie's testimony, Tate asked Williamson if Sophie had accused him of a crime.
When Williamson said "she's making the point that there is emotional or psychological manipulation," Tate again asked if he had accused her of a crime.
That's when things got fiery.
"I've asked you a question and I've allowed you into my house," Tate told Williamson.
Williamson, a journalist – whose literal job it is to ask questions – responded saying, "I'm asking you a question".
"Correct, but you're not the boss here, because I've allowed you into my house," said Tate.
Williamson went on to say that she is the one asking questions and Tate is the one who "gets to decide the answers".
"No, we're equal here. I've allowed you into my house. You don't come here with a position of authority," said Tate.
In a BBC article following the interview, Williamson also shared that during their conversation Tate told her she should "do some research" and pointed out the "little pieces of paper" she brought with her.
3. Tate denied comments he made in his own words.During the interview, Williamson read out comments made by Tate which were previously published on his website and later taken down.
In them, he said his job was to "meet a girl, go on a few dates, sleep with her, get her to fall in love with me to where she'd do anything I say, and then get her on a webcam so we could become rich together."
Tate responded saying, "I don't think that's what I personally said."
When reassured that they were his words on his website, he said "I've never said that, that's something you found on the internet, [it] doesn't mean I've said it."
"And again, if any female on the planet has a problem with me, I strongly recommend her to go to the police and try and pursue me for criminal charges. I'm actually such a nice person."
In another part of the interview, Williamson pointed out that making controversial statements online has seen Tate earn a lot of money.
Tate responded saying, "I genuinely am a force for good in the world. You may not understand that yet, but you will eventually."
"And I genuinely believe I am acting under the instruction of God to do good things, and I want to make the world a better place."
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Williamson pointed out that schoolteachers, police and rights campaigners have expressed concerns about the impact of Tate's messaging and behaviour.
"You've got children's organisations in the UK, you've got rape organisations in the UK, you've got the police naming you by name as someone who has a harmful influence on children and on women in the UK and elsewhere because of the things you say, because of the way you present gender relations," she said.
"That's very upsetting and the reason that is very upsetting is because I know that's not true," replied Tate. "I'm genuinely a good person, I believe my impact on the world is positive... this is garbage."
Tate went on to say he's teaching young men to be "disciplined" and to be "exactly like me".
"I'm saying that if men grew up like me, which are hard-working and diligent and [have] emotional control and [be] stoic, we're gonna have a better society not a worse society."
Read more:
The most dangerous man on TikTok right now.
Andrew Tate might be gone. But he's the symptom of a far bigger problem.
If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.
Feature Image: BBC.
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