The long-dormant feud between television's most famous double act, Ant and Dec, and this year's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! contestant Kelly Brook has been thrust back into the spotlight. The controversy, which dates back to 2009, concerns Brook's abrupt departure from Britain's Got Talent and her belief that the hosts played a pivotal role in her subsequent career struggles in the UK.
The Origin of the Dispute
The conflict began during Kelly Brook's brief tenure as a judge on Britain's Got Talent in 2009. Hired to join the panel, she was surprisingly dropped from the show after only a single week. Brook has consistently maintained that her dismissal was a direct result of upsetting the show's iconic hosts. She claims she questioned the precise nature of Ant and Dec's role on the programme, a query that she believes did not go down well.
This version of events was later confirmed by the presenting duo themselves. In their 2010 memoir, Ant and Dec wrote about their annoyance at the situation. They not only cited Brook's questioning of their role as a point of contention but also expressed their frustration at not being consulted by producers about her hiring in the first place.
Corroboration and Career Impact
Adding further weight to the story, fellow judge Piers Morgan corroborated the account. Morgan, who sat on the Britain's Got Talent panel at the time, acknowledged that Kelly Brook squarely blamed Ant and Dec for her swift exit from the show. He confirmed that the hosts' displeasure was a significant factor in the decision to let her go.
For Kelly Brook, the incident had repercussions that extended beyond that one show. She has spoken about how the fallout from the 2009 Britain's Got Talent incident hindered her career within the United Kingdom, believing it created a professional setback that lasted for some time.
A Jungle Reunion
Now, years later, this historical professional clash is set for an unexpected reunion. With Kelly Brook entering the Australian jungle as a celebrity contestant, she will be under the direction of the very hosts she once blamed for career challenges. This has inevitably resurfaced the Ant and Dec feud, creating a compelling backdrop to her I'm a Celebrity journey and leaving viewers wondering if jungle life will lead to a resolution or renewed tension.
