Former professional boxer David Haye has faced significant criticism for his conduct during the filming of I'm A Celebrity... South Africa, with revelations emerging about unaired confrontations regarding his behaviour. Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts, who is appearing on the spin-off series alongside Haye, Adam Thomas, Gemma Collins, Harry Redknapp and Beverley Callard, has disclosed that she directly challenged Haye over his language and actions, though these scenes did not make the final edit of the ITV programme.
Shocking Language and Sexist Comments
David Haye has come under intense scrutiny in recent days for his use of sexist language and derogatory comments within the camp environment. The boxer branded fellow contestant Adam Thomas "useless" for refusing to participate in a Bushtucker Trial, despite Thomas having a medical condition that prevented his involvement. Haye was recorded saying, "Who gives a s**t if he doesn't feel well. He's a grown-a*s man. I don't like guys who are a bit useless. I hate them, useless guys."
Ashley Roberts' On-Air Revelation
During an appearance on ITV's This Morning, Ashley Roberts told hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard that she did confront David Haye about his conduct, but these interactions were omitted from the broadcast. Roberts stated, "Now there are points where I did confront him because I thought some of his language was quite shocking. But I don't know if that's going to make the edit or not. You know, we all tried to plant seeds in different ways of thinking or trying to understand where he was coming from. But it was shocking."
This is not the first instance where Ashley Roberts has publicly criticised David Haye's behaviour. Just hours after Haye made controversial comments about his girlfriend having the personality of an "ugly bird," Roberts expressed her dismay during an appearance on Heart Radio Breakfast with Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston. She remarked, "He's not coming across well, is he? His language is outrageous, I'll tell you that much. I don't remember that side of him when we were together 14 years ago. I don't remember thinking, 'What just came out of your mouth?'"
Controversial Remarks About Women
David Haye's comments about women have sparked particular outrage. Speaking about his girlfriend, Sian, Haye elaborated on what he termed "Ugly Duckling syndrome," stating, "Most ugly girls realise they're not pretty enough, so they've got to have a personality - to banter and tell jokes - so people overlook the fact they're not aesthetically amazing. That's what's called Ugly Duckling syndrome, where girls start off ugly and then become more attractive as they get older, but still have the personality from when they weren't. Most super pretty girls don't have to have a personality, because they're attractive. But their less attractive friends have to work harder, be more personable and nicer to everyone."
Impact on Fellow Contestants
The atmosphere within the camp has been significantly affected by Haye's behaviour. Adam Thomas revealed on social media that David Haye "broke him" and "pushed him to his limits," though he noted that the boxer has since apologised for his actions. Show hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly also expressed discomfort, with McPartlin describing the scenes as not a "nice watch" and Donnelly acknowledging they were uncomfortable to observe.
Ashley Roberts, who previously appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2012 alongside Haye, emphasised her surprise at his current conduct, stating, "We were in the final three, he came third, I came second, and we spent time together after the show. I don't remember being taken aback [by his words back then]." The revelation that confrontations occurred but were not broadcast raises questions about editorial decisions in reality television production and what viewers ultimately see versus what actually transpires during filming.
