Adam Thomas, the winner of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, has declared that the show is now 'tarnished' for him following a bullying row with boxer David Haye. The 37-year-old Emmerdale actor, who shares two children with wife Caroline Daly, was crowned champion during a tense live finale on Friday night. However, his experience in the South African jungle was marred by confrontations with Haye, who branded him 'useless' for refusing to complete a Bushtucker trial due to illness.
Adam's Emotional Confession
Appearing on his podcast At Home With The Thomas Bros, Adam opened up about his second stint on the show, telling his siblings: 'No one knows, even now, me explaining it, you'll never understand. I'll never understand. It's so hard to process everything I've been through. The fact that it's just been turned into entertainment for live TV, for a family show that I loved.' He added: 'I've got so much to thank this show for. 10 years ago, this show put me on the map... I probably would never have the career I've had if it wasn't for this show.'
Adam first competed in I'm A Celeb in 2016, finishing third behind Joel Dommett and Scarlett Moffatt. When asked to return for the All Stars series a decade later, he felt 'grateful' for the opportunity. But now, he confessed: 'The way I always looked at this show, the way I perceived this show, it's tarnished for me. The problem is now, I just can't escape it. It'll always be on. I used to sit down with my kids and watch this show, and now I won't be able to do that.'
Manipulation Claims
Adam also recounted a disturbing incident where he felt manipulated by David. During the show, David allegedly pulled him aside and asked if he had been crying to producers about his behaviour, claiming they had told him 'to stop now.' Adam recalled: 'That was when I realised. I was like, 'They know. They know what's been going on', and that upset me more because it's the fact that I've never once mentioned you [David] or talked about you and what you've done to me, to them. But they know now, holy s**t.'
When Adam confronted producers, they denied speaking to David. Later, David admitted he had 'made it all up.' Adam said: 'I was like, wow, you really f**king manipulated the s**t out of me. He got in my head like you wouldn't believe.'
Viewer Complaints
David's behaviour sparked widespread backlash, with many viewers threatening to stop watching. Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom confirmed receiving over 170 complaints about the episode in which David criticised Adam for skipping a task. Adam, fighting back tears, said: 'The sad truth is that everyone will go on with their lives... But, for me, this will be in me for the rest of my life. I will live with everything that's happened - from the very start to the very finish - it's part of my DNA now.'
