David Haye accused Adam Thomas of 'playing the victim' during a fiery interview on This Morning on Thursday, following allegations that he bullied the actor during their time on I'm A Celebrity South Africa. The 45-year-old boxer and the 37-year-old Waterloo Road star had a fractious relationship while filming in the South African jungle last September.
Haye Defends Comments as Banter
David has faced accusations of bullying after a series of remarks aimed at Adam were broadcast. In one instance, he called the actor 'useless' for excusing himself from a trial due to health reasons. Appearing on ITV's daytime show, David defended his comments as 'banter' and accused the former Emmerdale star of seeking sympathy by describing his experience as 'the worst time of his life.'
The sportsman insisted that he and Adam had been on good terms after the show, claiming he had spoken to him just a day before the interview. David said: 'Some people had the worst time of their life, Adam for instance, he said that was the worst of his life, I don't know how soft his life has been!'
Haye Claims Adam Plays the Victim
Adam Thomas has an autoimmune condition called psoriatic arthritis, which caused fatigue and dehydration in the jungle. However, David claimed that Adam 'played a sickness' whenever a trial was due. He added: 'It flares up in convenient times as well. He's a super sweet guy, but I think he hams up, he's a professional victim.'
David went on to say: 'I sat next to him on the plane for 10 hours and explained what banter is. Even Harry, who has been around footballers his whole life, gets banter. I think he's just too soft, he can give it but he can't take it plain and simple.'
Online Backlash and Support
David revealed that his co-stars Craig Charles and Harry Redknapp had received online backlash after scenes aired showing them impressed with the decision to allow Adam back to camp after a verbal clash with Jimmy Bullard. He said: 'I talked to him yesterday, I talked to everybody in there, but as a result of him being the victim, Craig and Harry are getting some online abuse.'
He added: 'To get £25,000 a day for being that, you're in the business that's good money for going on the show and doing a few trials and getting a bit of banter. He is not a victim.'
Haye Defends Comments About Girlfriend
During the interview, David also defended his remarks about his girlfriend Sian Osborne, after being accused of misogyny for saying she had the personality of a 'proper ugly bird.' He said: 'She thought it was hilarious. She's got the personality of an ugly bird, it was my way of complimenting my girlfriend. I could lie and say something politically correct and boring.'
Adam Thomas Speaks Out
On Thursday, Adam shared on his podcast that he had confronted a campmate after the show. He said: 'A campmate messaged me this morning, it was a lovely message… lovely guy. But there were moments where I was like, 'nah, I wouldn't do that to you, why are you doing that to me?' It made me feel a little bit lonely.'
Adam refused to name the celebrity but revealed he is now receiving therapy after the jungle experience. He broke down in tears, saying: 'It was like being back in school again. He was just mind f***ing me.'
David Haye's Social Media Swipe
David took another swipe at Adam on social media after the actor revealed his therapy. The boxer called Adam 'weak' and compared him to a 'Chihuahua,' saying: 'He doesn't need therapy. He needs to do some push-ups. If a few comments breaks him, how weak is he?'
Regarding Adam's autoimmune condition, David insisted: 'I didn't know about it, but I couldn't care less. Everyone's got something. Adam was jumping around, dancing. I think whatever the trial was, he didn't like the sound of it, so he's lying in bed, so I gave him some s*** about that.'
Ant and Dec Weigh In
I'm A Celebrity hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly expressed discomfort with the exchanges on spin-off series Unpacked. Ant said: 'It's not a nice watch. He just kind of picks and picks at them.' Dec agreed: 'It's kind of crossed the line from banter. I don't find it comfortable to watch.'
After leaving camp, David told hosts: 'No bad blood from my side. When a grown man tells me that a fun TV show is the hardest thing he's ever been through, it's just not a frequency I recognise. I was actually on my best behaviour there, honestly.'
