Denise Welch, known for her roles on Loose Women and Waterloo Road, has reportedly decided not to appear on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! despite holding talks with ITV bosses. The Sun reports that the 66-year-old star was put off by the treatment of Adam Thomas during the recent spin-off series I'm A Celebrity... South Africa.
Denise Welch's Decision
According to a source, Denise has long been a top target for the show's producers. 'Denise has been top of I'm A Celeb's campmate hit list for years,' the source told The Sun. 'She always shuts it down quickly, but this year she went in to meet the team to talk things through.' Just when it seemed she might be won over, she ultimately decided against it, citing her busy acting schedule and concerns over the show's handling of conflict.
'She's really busy focusing on her acting right now, but she also raised with producers that she didn't like how Adam vs. Jimmy played out,' the source continued. 'She feared something similar could happen this time and didn't think it was worth the risk.'
Controversy in the Jungle
I'm A Celebrity... South Africa, which aired in April 2026, was mired in controversy. Boxer David Haye was accused of bullying soap star Adam Thomas after calling him 'useless'. Haye denied the allegations, describing his comments as 'banter', and claimed he was pursuing legal action against ITV for misrepresentation in the final edit.
Further drama erupted during a bushtucker trial when Adam had a heated argument with former footballer Jimmy Bullard. Jimmy was sent home after the trial, while Adam remained. Jimmy later alleged that ITV edited the argument to make Adam look better.
Live Finale Fallout
The tensions culminated in the live finale, where David and Jimmy confronted Adam just before he was crowned King of the Jungle. The argument caused Sinitta and Gemma Collins to storm off stage, and even hosts Ant and Dec appeared defensive. After filming, Jimmy and David were escorted from the studio, claiming they were 'kicked out for trying to tell the truth'.
Adam later addressed the controversy on Instagram, writing: 'I have realised that when people try to dim your light, it says more about them than it ever will about you. This experience has shown me my strength in ways I never imagined. Not because of any title or recognition, but because I stayed kind, I stayed grounded, and I stayed real.'
Metro has contacted ITV and Denise Welch for comment.
