I’m a Celebrity: South Africa won’t return to screens for a long while after its finale, which was the most chaotic reality TV episode in years.
Hosts Ant and Dec were forced to step in and, in a rare move, take sides after repeatedly being interrupted by Jimmy Bullard and David Haye, who questioned ITV over its decision to edit down a row Bullard had with actor Adam Thomas.
The furore surrounding Bullard’s argument with Thomas arrived after the former decided to quit the show despite the fact his decision would have sent Thomas home as well. In scenes shot eight months ago, Thomas was infuriated by the move and angrily confronted his campmate, with the fallout spilling into the live final last Friday (24 April).
Jimmy Bullard caused carnage on ‘I’m a Celebrity: Soauth Africa’ final (ITV)
Around 2.8 million viewers tuned in to watch the stars come face-to-face again, but ITV is reportedly not capitalising on the interest and will release another all-stars series in 2029. The first all-stars version of the show aired in 2023.
“The aim was never for it to be made or be on air in 2027, even though there may be an appetite for that right now,” a source told The Sun.
“The aim was to deliver something as a special show that was on from time to time, not an annual revisit like the main I’m a Celebrity show.”
A regular series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, with a fresh crop of contestants, will air as normal this November.
In the final, Bullard repeatedly accused Thomas of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” before claiming that ITV “didn’t show” any of Thomas’s alleged “c-bombs” in the broadcast.
After Ant McPartlin said he didn’t find Thomas’s behaviour aggressive, the crowd started chanting Thomas’s name, prompting contestant Sinitta to walk off set.
Adam Thomas looked downcast despite winning show (ITV)
“It was abusive – you weren’t there,” she told the audience. Gemma Collins, who had defended Thomas, followed her off stage, leaving Bullard and Haye vying for screen time.
Their fellow contestants, including former Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts, comedian Seann Walsh and ex-football manager Harry Redknapp, looked visibly uncomfortable.
Thomas ultimately won the show, with 58 per cent of the vote, followed by Mo Farah on 32 per cent and Redknapp on 10 per cent.
After the episode ended, footage shared by The Sun on Saturday (25 April) showed Haye and Bullard walking out of the studio, with Bullard saying: “We got kicked out!” After a paparazzo asked why they were kicked out, Haye said: “For trying to tell the truth.”
Hosts Ant and Dec struggled to keep the peace on ‘I’m a Celebrity: South Africa’ final (ITV)
A show source told The Independent: “Some campmates were uncomfortable being on stage with David and Jimmy, so we sent them home during Unpacked.”