David Haye has confirmed plans to sue ITV for what he describes as 'irreparable damage to his brand' amid allegations that I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! producers deliberately edited him in a negative light. The former boxer, 45, stated that despite rumours he was seeking £10 million from the broadcaster, the amount he and his '£500-an-hour' lawyer have in mind is significantly higher.
Accusations of Bullying and Misogyny
During the show, which was filmed in South Africa last year, Haye was accused of 'bullying' eventual winner Adam Thomas and faced criticism from viewers for 'misogynist' comments about women. In a series of Instagram Stories, Haye ranted: 'I've been inundated with people wanting a statement in regards to the legal situation with ITV and this defamation case. The answer is yes I am. I'm not sure if you know me that well but those who do know that I don't like getting pushed around. I don't like people taking advantage.'
He continued: 'When you're right and the decision comes down to a judge... once the tapes have been viewed and the evidence has been presented, they'll realise that this reality TV might not be that real, maybe it's manipulated heavily and directed in a certain narrative for a specific reason.'
Legal Claim Details
Haye expressed his eagerness for a judge to see 'exactly what went down' to make their decision. He addressed the rumoured £10 million figure: 'The number I'm going to hit them with is way more than that.' A source told The Sun that Haye is 'absolutely gung-ho' and 'incandescent with rage' about how the series was handled, feeling he is being made a scapegoat. The source cited examples such as the Gemma Collins fat-shaming moment, which allegedly used clever editing to make his remarks appear damning.
The insider added that Haye is seeking damages for lost earnings, which lawyers believe could total up to £10 million, after a potential Netflix show fell through and other brand deals were paused. Haye has reportedly enlisted the services of £500-per-hour barristers from Gatehouse Chambers. ITV has been contacted for comment.
Feud with Adam Thomas
Last week, Haye branded Adam Thomas 'weak willed' and told him to 'build his mental resilience' in response to the co-star's podcast comments. Thomas had said on his Thomas Brothers podcast that what happened in camp was bullying. Haye replied in a video: 'He just starts crying and moaning and he's somehow still spun it so that he's the victim.' Haye added that he gave Thomas 'primary school banter' and that 'everyone now is so damn soft it makes me sick'.
Haye concluded that Thomas is 'nearly 40 years old and you're moaning a TV competition' and claimed there is 'lots of stuff that's going to come to light that kind of contradicts his story'. The legal battle is set to unfold as Haye pursues what he considers just compensation for the alleged damage to his reputation.
