Television presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have directly addressed the persistent rumours of a feud with current I'm a Celebrity contestant Kelly Brook during the show's official aftershow programme.
The Aftershow Confrontation
The moment unfolded on Sunday's episode of I'm a Celebrity Unpacked when Ant appeared to criticise the cooking skills of the camp's culinary team. Discussing the meals prepared for contestants, McPartlin remarked: "What they've got given hasn't been awful, has it? Even octopus, if you cook it right, it's nice. They just cooked it badly."
When co-host Kemi Rodgers pointed out that the camp's cooks were Martin Kemp and Kelly Brook, Donnelly burst into laughter and directly asked McPartlin: "What's your problem with Kelly Brook?"
McPartlin immediately pointed at his co-host and responded: "Don't you start! I don't have a problem with Kelly Brook, thank you." The exchange has sparked renewed interest in the presenters' complicated history with the model and radio DJ.
Britain's Got Talent Origins
The roots of the alleged tension date back to 2009 when Brook was hired as a fourth judge on Britain's Got Talent. Her tenure proved remarkably short-lived - she was dropped from the show after just one week of filming.
While producers claimed at the time that adding a fourth judge had made the format "too complicated," Brook previously suggested her departure resulted from upsetting the hosting duo. She claimed that after questioning their role on the series, Ant and Dec were displeased with her appointment.
In their 2010 memoir Ooh! What a Lovely Pair: Our Story, Donnelly recalled an awkward encounter during Brook's first day on set. "Kelly looked nervous, so I told her it was going to be great fun and to just relax," he wrote. "She nodded, then looked at me and said, 'And what do you do on the show?'"
Donnelly described how Simon Cowell intervened, asking Brook if she had seen the programme before. Her response: "Yeah... well, bits." The presenter admitted feeling "annoyed" about her hiring and questioned why producers had added a fourth judge without proper consultation.
Lasting Impact and Current Developments
Brook previously revealed the professional consequences she believed resulted from the incident. "There was nothing I could do in this country," she claimed, suggesting that ITV executives informed her she had upset Ant and Dec.
The rumours resurfaced dramatically when Brook parachuted into the I'm a Celebrity camp on Sunday 16th November, prompting viewers to recall the historic tension. Social media platforms quickly filled with discussions about the alleged feud, with one viral post asking: "Do people realise Kelly Brook & Ant and Dec have serious beef with each other?"
Former Britain's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan added fuel to the fire, posting on Instagram just one day after the current series began: "Be interesting to see how she interacts with Ant and Dec given she still blames them for being fired so fast and ruthlessly... which isn't far from the truth."
Morgan confirmed that Brook continues to hold the presenters responsible for her abrupt departure from Britain's Got Talent after only two days of filming, stating that Ant and Dec weren't consulted about her hiring and took particular offence at her questioning their role on the show.
As the 2025 series of I'm a Celebrity continues, viewers remain watchful for any further interactions between the presenters and Brook that might shed light on the true nature of their relationship.
