ITV's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! has issued a formal apology after a joke made on its spin-off programme sparked significant viewer anger and accusations of insensitivity towards knife crime.
Live Apology Follows Controversial Remark
The incident occurred during the Tuesday night broadcast of I'm A Celebrity's Unpacked, hosted by comedian Joel Dommett. While discussing campmate Ruby Wax taking a bag of Liquorice Allsorts without sharing, Dommett, 40, joked: "If someone stole my Haribo, I'd shank them."
He immediately appeared to question his own comment, asking co-host Declan Donnelly: "Is that alright to say on telly? Is that too much?" Donnelly, 50, visibly uncomfortable, replied that he had "overstepped the mark," prompting Dommett to apologise live on air.
Charity and Bereaved Father Condemn Language
The fallout from the remark was swift. Dommett later released a written statement, saying: "I would like to once again apologise to anyone offended by the language used in Tuesday's show. This was not a pre-written joke and I would never make light of such a serious issue as knife crime."
ITV echoed the apology, stating the host had recognised his "unfortunate choice of language" in the moment. The comment drew a strong response from Patrick Green, CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity that educates young people on the dangers of knife crime.
Green stated: "It does highlight how knife crime has become so ingrained in our society that it has entered everyday language, when in reality it is something we should strongly oppose and never joke about."
The human cost of such language was emphasised by Martin Crosser, who lost his son Charlie to a stabbing in 2023. He told The Sun: "Charlie died by losing every milligram of blood in his body... There's nothing to joke about with knife crime. There really isn't."
Broader Context and Lasting Impact
This incident has ignited a wider conversation about the normalisation of violent slang in entertainment and everyday discourse. The immediate apology from both the host and the broadcaster indicates an awareness of the sensitivity surrounding knife crime in the UK, a topic that continues to devastate communities.
The event serves as a stark reminder to public figures about the power and impact of their words, especially when discussing subjects tied to real-life trauma and loss.
