I'm A Celebrity Bosses Face Humiliation Over Jimmy Bullard 'King of the Jungle' Blunder
ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! production team has been left embarrassed just hours before the launch of the highly anticipated South Africa All Stars series. The humiliation stems from a glaring error in a promotional social media post that left dedicated fans utterly baffled and quick to correct the mistake.
Social Media Slip-Up Sparks Fan Backlash
Ahead of tonight's premiere of the second All Stars spin-off, which brings back fan favourites from throughout the show's two-decade history, the official I'm A Celebrity Facebook page shared a photo of former Premier League footballer Jimmy Bullard in his South Africa camp gear. The accompanying caption boldly asked: 'Does former King of the Jungle, Jimmy Bullard, have what it takes to win the Legend crown too?'
However, eagle-eyed viewers were swift to point out the significant historical inaccuracy. Jimmy Bullard, who originally participated in the 2014 series, was actually the first campmate voted out that year—far from achieving 'King of the Jungle' status.
One fan commented pointedly: 'He was out first that year, because I remember being outraged by it.' Another added: 'Carl Fogarty won the year he was on?' while a third remarked: 'He didn't win, he was out first because of his bantz with Jake Quickenden. Foggy won that year.'
Bullard's Controversial Jungle History
Upon entering the Australian jungle in 2014, Jimmy Bullard had initially been considered a strong favourite to win the series. The former Fulham and Wigan Athletic midfielder's fortunes took a dramatic downturn following an expletive-filled clash with X Factor alum Jake Quickenden, resulting in his early elimination and making him the first contestant voted off that season.
Now aged 47, Bullard returns to the I'm A Celebrity franchise for the South Africa All Stars edition, joining other returning favourites including Gemma Collins, Sir Mo Farah, Scarlett Moffatt, and football manager Harry Redknapp. All are competing for the newly created title of 'I'm A Celebrity... Legend'.
In a promotional video released after the lineup was officially confirmed, Bullard admitted: 'I'm sat here in South Africa, how do I feel? Scared.' A source previously revealed to The Sun on Sunday that producers are hopeful Bullard will develop a 'bromance' with fellow campmate Harry Redknapp during the series.
Series Format and Production Details
The South Africa All Stars series represents a significant departure from the traditional format. Unlike the regular Australia-based editions, this spin-off is mostly pre-recorded, though it will conclude with a live final in London later this month. Fellow campmate Scarlett Moffatt seemingly revealed during an appearance on This Morning that the final is scheduled for April 24th.
Interestingly, Moffatt may have inadvertently dropped spoilers about the competition's outcome during her television appearance. When asked by presenter Alison Hammond who she thought would win, Moffatt first joked about herself before stating: 'To be honest with you, I hope Harry Redknapp wins. He's just so wonderful. And Sir Mo Farah as well. We'd still be trying to get the fire lit if it wasn't for Sir Mo. He just looked after us all.'
An ITV spokesman later clarified: 'Dermot & Alison asked Scarlett who she'd like to win and she said Harry and Mo from the campmates. She chose those two because, as she said on air, they were good at camp duties, especially the cooking.'
Broadcast Information and Historical Context
I'm A Celebrity South Africa launches tonight on ITV1 and the streaming platform ITVX. This marks the second All Stars edition following the 2023 series, which was entirely pre-recorded with the winner crowned on-site in South Africa. The format differs from the main series as previously eliminated campmates are brought back to witness the final stages of the competition.
The social media blunder has undoubtedly created additional buzz around the series premiere, though perhaps not the kind producers had intended. As fans prepare to watch their favourite celebrities face new challenges in the South African wilderness, the incident serves as a reminder that even veteran television productions are not immune to simple yet embarrassing errors.
