Anne Hegerty has taken a savage swipe at the chaos that overtook the I'm A Celebrity: South Africa final, making it unequivocally clear whose side she is on. The former I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! star did not hold back as she weighed in on the explosive fallout between David Haye, Jimmy Bullard, and eventual winner Adam Thomas.
Final Descends into Chaos
The final of the ITV show descended into chaos as Jimmy Bullard confronted Adam Thomas over their row during the Rancid Run trial. Adam and Jimmy came to verbal blows when Jimmy decided to head home and quit the trial, effectively forfeiting Adam's place on the show and leaving all other campmates stunned. Former boxer David Haye even interrupted the show to question whether Adam deserved to win, while Jimmy continued to fume over how their row had been portrayed on screen.
Anne's Blunt Assessment
Anne, who finished seventh in the 2018 series, did not mince her words regarding their behaviour. “I just think, as I say, that David has a very narrow view of what constitutes manliness,” she said. “We didn't get him on the Celeb Chase because he had brains. We got him on there so I could tell him I wanted to lick him all over! I'm more impressed by smart men than macho ones!”
Turning her attention to Jimmy’s criticism of Adam, Anne was equally blunt as she defended the soap star’s reaction to the now-infamous clash. Jimmy accused Adam of being “intimidating, aggressive and abusive” and asked Ant and Dec if that was the case. Ant said he did not think it was intimidating, and from there, all hell broke loose. “But Jimmy, he was aggressive because you threw him under the bus!” she insisted, pointing the finger firmly back at the ex-footballer.
The Row Explained
The row in question – which reportedly erupted during a Bushtucker Trial – ultimately saw Jimmy quit the task, sparking a furious reaction from Adam that many claim was toned down in the edit. In last night's final, Jimmy explained how the fight had really gone, saying it was originally for stars for camp, and then they dropped the bombshell that people would be leaving. He explained that he had told producers he wanted to go and exited that way so he was able to get his full fee from ITV for his time on the show. David later backed Jimmy’s version of events, with both men suggesting viewers did not see the full extent of the confrontation – something that has continued to fuel the fallout long after filming wrapped. But Anne was not having any of it. As the final went on, David attempted to wade into the argument, which Anne was not a fan of: “Shut up David!”
Reflection on the Series
Reflecting on the series as a whole, Anne admitted she was taken aback by just how heated things became – especially compared to her own jungle experience in 2018. “The great thing about my year was that this never happened,” she said. “Just one moment when it looked like it might kick off, and then someone smoothed it over. That’s why we had the highest ratings ever.” And it is a stark contrast. While Anne’s 2018 stint was defined by her admission to her autism, this year’s All Stars series has been dominated by feuds, off-screen tensions, and explosive confrontations – ending in a final that many viewers are already calling one of the most dramatic in the show’s history.
