The simmering feud between reality television personalities Gemma Collins and Sinitta has escalated dramatically, with Collins issuing a sharp retort via social media following a tense exchange on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... South Africa. The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 45, posted a pointed message on her Instagram account, seemingly directed at her 62-year-old camp rival after an awkward moment aired during Thursday night's episode.
The Spark That Ignited the Fire
During the episode, which saw the Savannah Scrub camp merge with the Main Camp, Sinitta confronted Collins about a past professional opportunity. She referenced Collins' planned role as Mama Morton in a production of Chicago in 2022, which Collins had to withdraw from due to a significant injury and insurance complications. Sinitta remarked that when she initially heard about Collins' casting, she believed it was "a joke announcement," citing Collins' previous public stumble at an awards ceremony as a reason for her skepticism.
A Defiant Social Media Response
In response, Gemma Collins took to Instagram on Friday morning, sharing a vintage clip of herself defiantly stating to camera: "Anyone who ever doubted me, said I was never going to be anything... f*** you!" She captioned the post with a motivational, albeit grammatically flawed, message: "Never let people tell your a JOKE [sic]. I’ve been through thousands of trials and tribulations to get where I am today."
The post quickly garnered support from fans and fellow celebrities. Pop duo Jedward commented, "What Sinitta said was unkind and hurtful! Love you Gemma don't ever let anyone put you down." Other followers flooded the comments with messages like "the queen forever and always. A STAR," "Gemma you're doing amazing," and "Team gemma all the way."
A Feud That Refuses to Fade
This public spat is merely the latest chapter in an ongoing tension between the two celebrities, which was filmed during the show's production in September 2025 and suggests their relationship remains frosty. Observant fans have noted that Gemma Collins follows every other cast member from the series on Instagram except for Sinitta, a silent but telling gesture. A source close to the situation told The Sun, "There’s still no love lost between the women. Gemma hasn’t spoken publicly about the feud and kept her silence – but following every single castmember online bar Sinitta is a clear statement from the GC. It’s got everybody talking."
Sinitta's Defence and Editing Claims
In the wake of the episode and the subsequent fan backlash, Sinitta has publicly defended herself, claiming that the show's editing portrayed her comments in an unfairly negative light. Taking to social media, the "So Macho" singer stated, "Goodness! I know none of you have ever heard of me before because you are young, if you did you would know I’m a very kind person who would never be horrible to Gemma Collins or anyone else."
She elaborated that her conversation with Collins was about their shared connection to Chicago, explaining, "I didn’t call her a joke, I said I thought the announcement was a joke at the time as I had not been aware that she sang and danced etc." Sinitta argued that the production edited out amicable parts of their discussion, including Collins referring to them as "2 Mama Morton's." She expressed frustration at the "genuinely nasty" reaction from viewers, framing her questioning as an attempt to have an "open conversation" and allow Collins to tell her side of the story.
History of Tension and Future Retaliation
This is not the first disagreement between the pair. Previously, reports suggested that Gemma Collins had accused Sinitta of leaking stories from the cast's private WhatsApp group—an allegation Sinitta vehemently denied, quipping, "the only rat amongst us were those in the jungle."
The feud is set to continue on screen. In Friday's episode, Gemma Collins is shown getting her own back with a stinging remark about Sinitta's famously on-again, off-again 40-year relationship with music mogul Simon Cowell. During a camp discussion about mobile phones, Collins notes that she understands why Cowell, 66, does not own one. When fellow campmate Sir Mo Farah asks Sinitta if this is true, Collins interjects, "Sinitta tries to call him and she's got to go through two PAs, housekeepers just to get a message to him."
Sinitta responded, "And then he'll call you," to which Collins retorted, "As and when he fancies." Later, in the Bush Telegraph, Collins reflected on the dynamic, saying, "She was in an on and off relationship with him for over 40 years and when Sinitta rings he replies and says 'I'll call you tomorrow Sinitta'. I mean, if someone did that to me, they'd be blocked, scrubbed off the Christmas card list and yeah, I ain't waiting around for no man to call me back."
As the drama unfolds both on television and across social media platforms, it is clear that the rivalry between Gemma Collins and Sinitta remains a central, contentious narrative from their time in the South African jungle, captivating audiences and dominating entertainment headlines.
