Anne Hegerty has weighed in on the explosive fallout from the I'm a Celebrity: South Africa final, taking a swipe at David Haye and Jimmy Bullard while defending winner Adam Thomas. The former contestant, who finished seventh in the 2018 series, did not hold back in her criticism of the pair's behaviour during the show's dramatic conclusion.
Speaking about David Haye, Anne said: "I just think, as I say, that David has a very narrow view of what constitutes manliness. We didn't get him on the Celeb Chase because he had brains. We got him on there so I could tell him I wanted to lick him all over! I'm more impressed by smart men than macho ones!" She later added a blunt "Shut up David!" when he attempted to intervene in the argument during the final.
Turning her attention to Jimmy Bullard, who accused Adam of being "intimidating, aggressive and abusive", Anne was equally forthright. "But Jimmy, he was aggressive because you threw him under the bus!" she insisted, pointing the finger back at the ex-footballer. The row erupted during a Bushtucker Trial when Jimmy quit, effectively forfeiting Adam's place in the competition.
Jimmy later explained that he had told producers he wanted to leave and exited that way to secure his full fee from ITV. David backed Jimmy's version of events, suggesting viewers did not see the full extent of the confrontation. However, Anne dismissed these claims, siding firmly with Adam.
Reflecting on the series, Anne noted the contrast with her own jungle experience in 2018, which she described as harmonious. "The great thing about my year was that this never happened. Just one moment when it looked like it might kick off, and then someone smoothed it over. That's why we had the highest ratings ever," she said.
