This year’s Farmen celebrity season has been no stranger to drama. The celebrities have already been in a number of disagreements, but have on most occasions managed to fix.
One of the participants who has had to weather the storm several times is entrepreneur Ørnulf Høyer (66), who is also this week’s big farmer.
In Wednesday’s episode, the viewers witness the recycling influencer Ingrid Vik Lysne (31) confronting Høyer about what she considers to be “unpleasant behaviour” towards the young girls on the farm.
Uncomfortable dance routine
Part of the week’s assignment was for the participants to set up a festival. As part of this festival, the participants would perform a line dance. This is where Lysne first raises the issue.
– The dance Ørnulf wants to dance, it feels rather intimate. I don’t think Ørnulf sees at all that he is a man more than 30 years older than me. I think it’s a bit disgusting to dance with him like that, when I haven’t felt like it myself, says the 31-year-old at the beginning of the episode.
UNPLEASANT: Ingrid thinks that Ørnulf’s behavior could sometimes be unpleasant. Photo: Anton Soggiu
Lysne believes this is a social problem, where it can be difficult to speak up to someone who has a managerial role. She refers here to Høyer being the big farmer of the week, and again chooses who will be the first champion.
Later in the episode, Lysne tells Høyer that she is not comfortable dancing with him. Høyer seems somewhat confused, but says it’s fine, and suggests Sofie Karlstad (25) as his new partner.
Karlstad did not want to participate in the dance either, and the routine ends up being dropped. Lysne then apologizes to Karlstad, and says it was not meant for the 25-year-old to take her place.
– Yes, you didn’t think like that “here I should support my friend”, says Karlstad and smiles.
Taking it up with Høyer
Later, all the participants are down by the water and bathing, where Høyer grabs hold of Karlstad to throw her into the water. Lysne also reacts to this.
– Damn, that’s absolutely insane. He is naked, wet and has bathed, then he throws himself at you, says Lysne in the episode.
– Yes, also in the tub when he washed himself, adds Karlstad.
GET SUPPORT: Sofie told Høyer that for her the bathing incident was not an issue, but supports Ingrid in her choice to speak out. Photo: Anton Soggiu
Lysne then says to the camera that she thinks Høyer’s behavior is unacceptable, and wants to take it up with him. Karlstad supports Lysne’s wishes to speak out, but tells the camera that she herself does not want to participate.
Lysne confronts Høyer about what she considers to be “crossing the line into the intimate zone” of the girls on the farm. The 31-year-old then says that she in no way wants to hang out or do anything stupid to him.
– I say this because we, as young girls, can often experience that men can take a little bit of comfort, and that men in positions of power can take some care of themselves. It’s an uncomfortable thing, so I want you to know.
Høyer seems to be put out of the conversation, and specifies that it is innocent play on his part. He is also surprised that his behavior is taken that way.
– I’m not someone who settles down
When TV 2 makes contact with Høyer, he says that he was primarily surprised by the conversation. His impression was that Lysne thought the dance was fun
Høyer says he has been dancing the “jitter-boogie” since the 80s, and to this day does the routine with his daughter.
– Afterwards, I think she got a form of hindsight, and then I said “if you don’t want it, that’s perfectly fine”. If she later thinks that “this is not me”, then of course you have to respect that.
What Høyer reacts to is that Lysne took the camera crew with him to label him as “someone who settles down”.
– It was a dance routine that we were supposed to do for fun, and was completely harmless.
The 66-year-old explains that he doesn’t quite understand why Lysne felt the need to make it a fight, as the dance was something the participants were supposed to do for fun.
HARMLESS: Ørnulf says he is a playful person, and that this has nothing to do with age. Photo: Anton Soggiu
When it comes to the situation with Karlstad down on the wharf, Høyer explains that when Karlstad didn’t want to bathe, he was going to joke and throw cold water on her. The founder then confirms that he raised the situation with the 25-year-old, where Karlstad confirmed that for her this was not an issue.
– It is so harmless and small. Trying to make it a fight because I’m an older man, when it’s pure, dear joy and play. It wasn’t an older man pushing himself in any way, it was just fun. Why try to make it something it’s not?
Nevertheless, Høyer says that he thinks what Lysne brings up is important, and something he takes with him further.
– There are lessons to be learned. You can do this in private rooms, where people are safe with each other, but if there are some who are not safe with each other, then you can not. But at the same time, I don’t think you should make a big deal out of something that isn’t an issue to begin with.
– It is possible to speak up
When TV 2 contacts Lysne, she says that today’s event is what she has been most excited to see. The influencer says she is happy that much of the situation was included, so that viewers understand the full context.
– It is of course completely different to see it on TV, because there were several small, similar incidents. I think it was like a harmless cuddle on his part, but since we didn’t know him very well, it felt uncomfortable, says the 31-year-old.
Lysne explains that for her it was more natural to have a cozy relationship with the younger men, such as Christopher Mørch Hubsy (33) and Aleksander Sæterstøl (27), since they were closer in age and good friends.
– It felt natural to hug them. But I understand that it was not cool for Ørnulf to hear. I really didn’t want to step on him, but at the same time I needed to address it.
IMPORTANT TO SPEAK UP: Ingrid tells TV 2 that it is important to speak up for things to get better. Photo: Anton Soggiu
The influencer confirms that she and Høyer have talked about the incident afterwards, and that they have a good relationship today. The 31-year-old also hopes that their conversation can go forward as a good example of how to address such a topic, and come out of it strengthened on both sides.
– I wanted to speak up for us girls in there, and step forward as an example that it is possible to speak up! And I think Ørnulf took it very well, and hope this can be a good example of how to solve something like this in a good way.
The 31-year-old adds that she understands there is a generational divide, and that things have changed over time. Therefore, she thinks society should give room for people to receive feedback and adjust themselves. Change doesn’t happen overnight.
– But I have no problems with Ørnulf. I respect him and want us to be friends. I feel that we have a very good tone, she concludes.
You can see Farmen kendis on Tuesdays at 21:40, Wednesdays and Sundays at 20 on TV 2 Direkte, and whenever you want on TV 2 Play.
