David Haye Delivers Parting Shot at Adam Thomas Following I'm A Celeb Elimination
Former world heavyweight champion David Haye could not resist taking a final swipe at fellow contestant Adam Thomas after both were eliminated from I'm A Celebrity... All Stars on Monday night. The 45-year-old boxer and reality television personality Gemma Collins were sent packing from the South African camp, marking the second elimination of the spin-off series.
Explosive Feud Addressed in Exit Interview
During his exit interview, Haye was questioned about his fractious relationship with Waterloo Road star Adam Thomas, 37, which had exploded on screen and generated significant backlash from viewers and show hosts alike. The champion boxer offered a characteristically blunt assessment of their conflict.
'No bad blood from my side,' Haye declared. 'Look, I've been immersed in tough boxing gyms since I was ten years old. Literally fighting daily, much bigger men than myself, pushing myself to the limits, physically and mentally. I won the world heavyweight championship against a seven-foot Russian giant.'
He continued with pointed criticism: 'When a grown man tells me that a fun TV show - where we're being paid handsomely every single day - is the hardest thing he's ever been through, it's just not a frequency I recognise. I was actually on my best behaviour there, honestly.'
The boxer concluded with a cryptic warning: 'I've spoken to Adam, I've said my piece and some of what's still to air will speak for itself. I'll leave it there.'
Elimination Process and Gemma Collins Departure
The eliminations unfolded after former Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts triumphed in the latest challenge, securing her safety and the power to select another campmate to save. She chose Scarlett Moffatt, who then had to pick another contestant to rescue, continuing the chain of selections.
David Haye and singer Sinitta were ultimately the final two contestants facing elimination. Actress Beverley Callard made the decisive choice to save Sinitta, leaving Haye to be voted out. As part of the elimination format, Haye then selected someone to accompany him out of the camp, choosing fan favourite Gemma Collins.
'The two of us were itching to get back to our partners, and I think we'd both earned it,' Haye explained of his decision. 'We were ready to call it a day and move on.'
Show Hosts Criticise Haye's Behaviour
The elimination follows rare critical comments from show hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly about Haye's conduct during the series. Speaking on the official I'm A Celebrity... Unpacked podcast, Ant expressed discomfort with the boxer's behaviour.
'It's not a nice watch. He just kind of picks and picks at them,' Ant revealed. 'Adam has had a bit of a tough time and he's not coping well. Clearly the banter has got too much. But David won't stop.'
Dec agreed with his co-host's assessment: 'It's kind of crossed the line from banter. I don't find it comfortable to watch.'
Adam Thomas Breaks Silence on Feud
Adam Thomas has since broken his silence about their on-screen conflict in a candid social media post, confessing he felt 'broken' by Haye during their time filming in South Africa. The actor revealed he struggled 'physically, mentally and emotionally' during his stint on the hit series and admitted there were moments when he 'didn't recognise himself.'
'He broke me in there, he pushed me to my limits,' Thomas wrote. 'I've told David this and he's apologised, and that's that! I've moved on now, and I'm not one to hold a grudge.'
Arthritis Struggle and Chocolate Incident
The pair's feud intensified during Thursday's episode after Thomas sneaked chocolate into camp for the team, violating ITV's rules and resulting in reduced portion sizes for two stars. Haye called for Thomas to receive less dinner, sparking protests from fellow campmates Beverly Callard and Jimmy Bullard.
Thomas then confronted Haye about his reaction, with the soap actor challenging: 'Right, me and you outside now.' An irritated Haye responded: 'We got a lot less than we would have had,' before Scarlett Moffatt intervened to end the argument.
In his social media statement, Thomas opened up about his private health battle, revealing his autoimmune psoriatic arthritis diagnosis in 2023 significantly impacted his experience in the jungle.
'My time in I'm a Celebrity South Africa was one of the toughest things I've ever been through,' he confessed. 'Living with arthritis is something I don't really talk about, as much as I should do... but in there it really took its toll. My biggest fight was pretending to put on a brave face and trying to hide the pain! That can be exhausting in itself.'
Moving Forward and Finding Peace
Thomas concluded his statement by expressing pride in not quitting the show despite his struggles and confirming he has since spoken with Haye, who has apologised.
'Since coming out, I've taken time to process everything, and I'm in a much better place now,' Thomas wrote. 'I let go of the anger, had the conversations I needed to have, and chose peace. What I'm most proud of is at times like this, I wanted to walk, I wanted to quit but I didn't. Even when I wanted to walk away, even when it felt like too much, I never give up!'
The actor's candid revelation about his arthritis struggle and the emotional toll of the experience has generated considerable sympathy from viewers, while Haye's uncompromising approach continues to divide audience opinion as the series progresses.
