Viewers were left with their jaws on the floor as they watched the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa final descend into mayhem live on ITV.
Three million tuned in to watch the chaos unfold on Friday night, with a seemingly downcast Adam Thomas, 37, crowned the winner amid vicious rows, tearful confrontations and claims of bullying.
It’s no surprise that ITV itself has been plunged into chaos as the fallout from the sensational episode continues.
Indeed, the Daily Mail can reveal that producers and executives are scrambling to deal with the aftermath of that bombshell final episode in a bid to protect the I’m A Celebrity brand from further damage.
The broadcaster has no current plans for a third series following last week’s explosive denouement, which saw former boxer David Haye, 45, accused of targeting actor Adam Thomas, and in the course of which, ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard, 47, claimed he was ‘intimidated’ by Thomas in a C-word-littered spat.
A source on the show said: ‘I’m A Celebrity… South Africa is not an annual series. The first series aired in 2023, and series two aired in 2026. There were never any plans for a series to air in 2027. It’s a special series that the broadcaster looks to do from time to time, and a third series has not yet been planned.’
Ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard, 47, claimed he was ‘intimidated’ by I’m A Celebrity South Africa winner Adam Thomas
Friday had been a night of high emotion as campmates Scarlett Moffatt and singer Ashley Roberts broke down in tears during the advertising breaks. Gemma Collins and Sinitta stormed off stage at the studio where the cast was being interviewed.
The source continued: ‘Emotions were high on the night, and there was a welfare team on hand to help, as well as security trying to manage the situation. Everyone received welfare checks before and during the show, and everyone has been offered it afterwards.’
A spokesperson for ITV said: ‘The duty of care for our contestants is of the utmost importance to us. We take the welfare of the celebrities very seriously and have measures in place to ensure they are supported at every stage of the process, before, during and after filming.’
With the controversy reverberating into this week, Monday’s ITV daytime programmes, including Good Morning Britain and Loose Women, had segments discussing the show.
Sinitta appeared on GMB to give her take, but winner Adam Thomas chose to keep his distance from the cameras. Thomas was notably absent from the I’m A Celebrity spin-off show, Unpacked, after his victory and was pictured looking unimpressed as he left filming early, accompanied by his brothers Scott and Ryan Thomas.
A source has told The Daily Mail that Adam has no plans to appear on any ITV shows to promote his win, which most agree has been overshadowed by the night’s drama.
The I’m A Celeb… South Africa cast appears to have been divided, with David, Harry Redknapp, and Sinitta showing support for Jimmy Bullard. Others have appeared to be siding with Adam.
Redknapp admitted the final was a ‘nightmare’, before suggesting that ‘people couldn’t take a bit of banter and it became a big issue’. Meanwhile, Gemma Collins said she had been ‘disgusted and embarrassed’ by the behaviour of Jimmy Bullard and David Haye.
Jimmy and Adam had a falling out when the former said ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ – code on the show for ‘I’m quitting’ – during a trial the pair undertook together because he wanted to go home. Saying those words would ordinarily have meant that both Bullard and Thomas would be forced to quit.
Yet, due to the nature of Jimmy’s exit, the remaining celebrities were given the chance to decide whether Adam should stay on the show, and the actor was allowed to return to the camp.
The episode caused Adam to lose his temper, and he was seen on screen calling Jimmy a ‘p****’ and using the F-word several times.
Adam Thomas was crowned the winner in Friday’s final amid vicious rows, tearful confrontations and claims of bullying
Gemma Collins stormed off stage at the studio where the cast was being interviewed on Friday
During Adam’s opportunity to speak at the final, he said: ‘I take full responsibility for my actions and, yes, emotions were definitely running high in that moment.
‘I have nothing but love for Jimmy in that moment. I have apologised to Jimmy on numerous occasions and I do take everything that he is saying into account and the only thing I can do is apologise.
‘That is not how I want to show myself off and I have never shown myself off like that before or after that. I do apologise, Jimmy.’
‘Funny way of showing it,’ David interjected, before adding: ‘I like to say how I see it, I like to keep it real and what I have seen is a lot of editing to make this poor guy [pointing to Adam] the victim so the people will support him.
‘We all had banter back and forth, a lot of it was cut out from there side. But I think it is time for the truth.’
Storming off the stage, Sinitta yelled to the studio audience: ‘Guys, you weren’t there, I was there and it was aggressive and abusive, we were shaking.’
Jimmy shouted in the background: ‘You can’t be aggressive, abusive and intimidating. It doesn’t matter if Adam said sorry.
‘I will not take you [Ant] saying it wasn’t aggressive, abusive and intimidating, you can’t say that. Show it, let everyone watch it, let’s play it now!’
Jimmy has since sought legal advice and is currently said to be gathering evidence to help with his case against ITV.
Ant McPartlin was flanked by security as he came face-to-face with Jimmy Bullard outside the studio after the tense live final
Sources close to the former footballer – best-known for his time at Wigan Athletic, then in the Premier League – say he is ‘furious’ that ITV has appeared to side with Adam by cutting scenes showing unacceptable behaviour.
And eyebrows have been raised, too, because Adam’s agent, Madison Lygo, is the daughter of Kevin Lygo, ITV’s director of television – the man responsible for overseeing commissioning across the channel.
The connection is unlikely to quieten whispers of favouritism, which ITV has denied and the perception of which – right or wrong – has added to the fury of Jimmy and his supporters.
Meanwhile, host Ant McPartlin, 50, said that what was televised was a ‘clear representation of what happened’ but that some bits had been omitted because they were ‘unbroadcastable’.
Jimmy fumed: ‘What I don’t stand on is someone being abusive, aggressive, and intimidating. Youse were there, you had front row seats. You didn’t show none of that.
‘You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty.’
Ant argued: ‘The reason we didn’t air the C-bomb is because that is unbroadcastable. I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating. I was there Jim.’
Both presenters, Ant and co-host Declan Donnelly, have been pulled into the row as the Geordie duo apparently failed to keep a lid on proceedings. They, too, have been accused of siding with Adam.
ITV was forced to deal with more chaos during the show when security men dragged an audience member out of the Hammersmith Apollo in west London, where the finale was staged. Police arrested a woman and took her away in a police van.
With just seven months to go until I’m A Celebrity returns in Australia, all eyes are on ITV and who they will sign for the next series.
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