David Haye's toxic masculinity has turned I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here into an uncomfortable watch, as the former boxer continues to double down on his jungle behaviour. This issue, however, is not new to reality TV.
David Haye's Controversial Comments
In deeply uncomfortable scenes aired on primetime ITV, David Haye was given space to air troubling ideas. He claimed that unattractive women must work harder to develop good personalities so that people overlook their appearance. He also repeatedly berated actor Adam Thomas after Thomas chose not to participate in a trial while ill, calling him 'useless'. The treatment was so severe that Adam later revealed he required therapy due to the trauma experienced on the show.
Doubling Down After Elimination
Since his elimination, Haye has doubled down on his opinions. In an interview with The Sun, he insisted he was right about 'ugly chicks' and showed only superficial remorse for his treatment of Adam. He claimed they talked on the plane and that he privately apologised off-camera if he genuinely upset him. Yet he continued to take digs at Adam, calling him a 'weak-ass dude', a 'chihuahua', and implying that Adam's psoriatic arthritis diagnosis was something the actor could 'hold on to'. He labelled Adam 'soft' and 'brittle-spirited', and on This Morning, he called Adam a 'professional victim'.
Haye offered advice to Adam, telling The Sun: 'He doesn’t need therapy. He needs to do some push-ups, he needs to get out there and get in amongst other males who are powerful, who do stuff and don’t sit there talking all the goddamned time about how hard life is.' This 'be a real man and push through it' mentality is a dangerous trope peddled by the manosphere, teaching young boys to ignore their mental health, which can lead to depression, suicide, bullying, and abuse.
Reality TV's Manosphere Problem
This is not an isolated incident. Last summer, Love Island faced similar criticism when Harrison Solomon lied and manipulated contestants, prompting Women's Aid to issue a statement. They noted that production companies have been called out for allowing contestants with a history of abusive behaviour, and have since tried to be more careful in vetting and calling out toxic behaviours.
Reality TV has a manosphere problem. Either contestants are not properly vetted and allowed to display incel behaviour, or editing still puts toxic masculinity in the spotlight. In both cases, drama takes precedence over protecting women and men. When these ideas are given a platform, they reach more people, potentially leading to more sexism, violence against women, and mental illness in men. Suicide remains a leading killer of men under 50, exacerbated by the manosphere's 'stoic risk'.
What Can Be Done?
Reality TV could follow Adam Thomas's example. He has been open about his mental health, brave enough to cry, and clear about his regret for his outburst at Jimmy Bullard. He took accountability and made changes to become more secure in himself. That is true masculinity. There is no real power in calling oneself an 'alpha male' or in tearing others down. Power lies in mental health and admitting when one is not okay. By doing so, Adam Thomas is the role model I'm A Celeb needs.
ITV and David Haye's representatives were contacted for comment.
