I’m a Celebrity: South Africa winner Adam Thomas has spoken about the show’s dramatic live final for the first time, revealing the message he received from David Haye afterwards and how he’ll be haunted by his experience for the rest of his life.
Thomas, 37, was crowned King of the Jungle during Friday night’s live final shortly after the show descended into chaos, with contestant Jimmy Bullard accusing him of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” in the jungle, Ant and Dec defending the Emmerdale actor and two stars storming off set.
Having skipped the usual ITV daytime interviews that winners usually take part in on Good Morning Britain or This Morning, Thomas opened up about the live final in a new episode of his podcast, At Home With The Thomas Bro’s, on Wednesday (29 April).
Speaking to his brothers, Ryan and Scott, the actor claimed that Haye – who accused him of being a “victim” on I’m A Celebrity: South Africa and picked on him in camp – sent him a congratulatory voice note after the final.
Adam Thomas on ‘I’m A Celebrity: South Africa’ (ITV)
“The most disturbing bit for me was where I look at David and even after the show, he sent me a voice note and was like, ‘Oh mate, what a great show that was. I’m so happy you won. Congratulations.’” Thomas revealed.
“I just sent him a message back saying, ‘This is where I draw the line now. I hope you find happiness bro. I’m done now.’ That live show, I just felt like I’d been exploited. I felt like I was in the midst of it all and it wasn’t even about me.”
He added that how Haye treated him in the jungle was “bullying”, despite co-stars Sinitta and Harry Redknapp describing it as “banter”. While on the show, Haye frequently clashed with Thomas, calling him “useless” for asking not to do a Bushtucker Trial while feeling unwell.
Speaking on his podcast, Thomas said: “I’ll just be outright and say it how it is now. What happened to me in camp is bullying. That is the matter of fact about it. It was bullying. I don’t think it’s fair to people who are going through what I went through in the real world to pass it off as banter because it’s not. The reason why I didn’t speak up for myself when I should have done is because when I was in camp, everyone was passing it off as banter.”
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Thomas also accused Haye of being manipulative in camp – claiming that Haye told him that ITV were “worried” about his mental health and had told him to stop picking on him, resulting in Thomas breaking down to producers. “[Producers] said, ‘Adam, we’ve never once said anything to David about you or your mental health.’ I asked David when I got out and he was like, ‘Yeah, I made it all up.’”
“Like, you really f***ing manipulated the s*** out of me. He got in my head like you wouldn’t believe. Not everyone sees that. Not everyone sees the little comments that he makes,” Thomas added, breaking down. “Why would you want to do that to another human being, bro? And after all I’ve been through, I still forgive him.”The Independent has contacted Haye and ITV for comment.
David Haye clashes with Adam Thomas in the jungle (ITV)
He went on to say that he takes full accountability for his outburst at Jimmy Bullard in camp, after Bullard forfeited a challenge and cost both himself and Thomas a place in the competition.
In the final, Bullard repeatedly accused Thomas of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” during the trial and claimed that ITV had edited out “c-bombs” from the Emmerdale actor.
Thomas later said that he’ll “live with everything that’s happened from the very start to the very finish” for the rest of his life, adding: “You could pay me £10m to do that experience all over again and I would say no in a heartbeat because nothing is worth what I went through in there.”
Haye and Bullard were reportedly kicked out of the studio after the I’m a Celebrity final, with a show source telling The Independent: “Some campmates were uncomfortable being on stage with David and Jimmy, so we sent them home during Unpacked.”
Thomas also left with his family, saying on the podcast: “ITV wanted me to go and do the ITV2 show and I was like, ‘There is no way. I’ve had enough of this. Imagine me going and doing the ITV2 show and then everyone again just ripping into me and pointing the finger at me.’”
While fans were left wondering whether Thomas would appear on ITV’s morning programmes this week, which I’m a Celebrity champions tend to do after the final, it was confirmed on Good Morning Britain that he would not be doing any further press.
While speaking about the dramatic final, host Richard Madeley revealed that Thomas “garnered quite a good chunk of the public vote” with over 50 per cent. His co-presenter Susanna Reid then added: “Adam Thomas. He’s not doing interviews.”