Content creator Hema Sharma, popularly known as Viral Bhabhi, became the first contestant to be evicted from the Salman Khan hosted reality show Bigg Boss 18 on Saturday. She was nominated for elimination alongside Tajinder Singh Bagga, Muskan Bamne, Rajat Dalal, Avinash Mishra, Chahat Pandey, Shrutika Arjun, Karan Veer Mehra, Shilpa Shirodkar and Alice Kaushik.

During the Weekend Ka Vaar episode, Salman Khan blasted the housemates for their behaviour over the week. It all began when Avinash Mishra found himself at the centre of controversy because of a face-off with fellow contestant Chum Darang, which spiralled into an intense altercation involving other housemates. Rajat Dalal further escalated the issue by levelling grave allegations that Avinash’s conduct made some female housemates feel unsafe.

Salman, known for his no-nonsense approach, took time to address these allegations. “Bigg Boss mein gharwale bolte hain, women are not safe with him. Avinash ke upar itne bara lanchhan lagaya jaye, toh uska family ka kya hota hoga,” Salman stated, expressing concern for Avinash’s family. In an emotional moment, he also shared his own experience with public scrutiny: “Mere upar bhi bohot saare lanchhan lagaya gaye hain.”

Despite the tension, there were light moments, too. Salman teased contestant Chaahat Pandey about her ideal partner. The show also welcomed special guests — actors Vicky Jain and Ankita Lokhande, along with comedians Krushna Abhishek and Sudesh Lehri — who brought humour and fun tasks into the house.

However, the mood in the house changed when Bigg Boss made the shocking announcement that Hema Sharma has been evicted. Known for her lively personality and humorous sketches that earned her a massive following on social media, Hema’s journey on Bigg Boss 18 has been rocky from the start. On the premiere night, she and fellow contestant Tajinder Singh Bagga were placed in a makeshift jail as part of an introductory task.