Ant and Dec Break Silence on I'm A Celebrity Controversy
In a rare departure from their usual impartial hosting style, television presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have publicly criticised former boxer David Haye over his treatment of fellow I'm A Celebrity contestant Adam Thomas. The Geordie duo, known collectively as Ant and Dec, described watching the interactions as "not a nice watch" during a recent podcast appearance.
The Incident That Sparked Outrage
The controversy began when Adam Thomas, who suffers from the autoimmune condition psoriatic arthritis, requested to sit out a Bushtucker Trial due to feeling unwell and dehydrated. David Haye responded by calling Thomas "useless" and stating he "doesn't like men like that." This followed previous criticism of Haye for sexist comments made about his girlfriend and other women before entering the South African camp.
Ant McPartlin expressed his discomfort during the I'm A Celebrity... Unpacked podcast, saying: "It's not a nice watch. He just kind of picks and picks at them. Adam has had a bit of a tough time and he's not coping well. Clearly the banter has got too much. But David won't stop."
Declan Donnelly agreed with his co-host, adding: "It's kind of crossed the line from banter. I don't find it comfortable to watch."
Campmates Rally Around Thomas
Reality television personality Gemma Collins revealed she felt compelled to protect Adam Thomas during the filming, which took place towards the end of last year. Speaking on the same podcast, Collins explained: "I think David Haye might have seen a weakness in Adam. There were times where I had to protect Adam in there."
Collins continued: "If I was going full GC mode on David Haye, and a lot of them, then it would've been a disaster in there but I had to remain calm and composed. I think the fact that I stretched my arms out, I'm sort of saying to 'em all, without biting their heads off, 'enough'. I knew if it was ever gonna get too bad I would be taking David on."
Thomas Opens Up About His Struggle
Adam Thomas has since spoken publicly about the emotional toll of his experience on the show. In an Instagram post accompanied by an image from the programme, the actor wrote: "Not going to lie, this picture breaks my heart, as I know on the inside what I was dealing with and truth be told I thought it was all my fault. I now know that's not the reality."
Thomas described his time in the South African camp as "one of the toughest things I've ever been through, physically, mentally, and emotionally." He explained the particular challenges of managing his condition while filming: "Living with arthritis is something I don't really talk about, as much as I should do... but in there it really took its toll. My biggest fight was pretending to put on a brave face and trying to hide the pain! That can be exhausting within itself."
The actor reflected: "I won't sit here and say I handled everything perfectly, because I didn't. I wish I spoke up for myself sooner. I wish I stood my ground instead of trying to keep the peace, but I've learned that being kind doesn't mean being weak, and sometimes it takes going through tough moments to find your voice."
Unusual Move for Veteran Hosts
The public criticism from Ant and Dec represents a significant departure from their usual approach to hosting the popular reality series. Typically maintaining professional neutrality regarding contestant behaviour, their decision to comment directly on Haye's conduct underscores the seriousness with which they viewed the situation.
As the controversy continues to generate discussion among viewers, the incident has highlighted the complex dynamics that can develop within the high-pressure environment of reality television production. With fans increasingly turning against the former boxing champion, the fallout from these events continues to unfold both on-screen and across social media platforms.
I'm A Celebrity... South Africa continues to air weekdays at 9pm on ITV and the streaming service ITVX, with viewers now watching the unfolding drama with heightened awareness of the behind-the-scenes tensions that have now been brought to light by the programme's usually reserved hosts.
