Is this the messiest I’m A Celebrity series ever? Let’s unpack it all

I’m A Celebrity talked the big talk ahead of its all-star series return on ITV. 

The trials were going to be meaner, the camp tougher, the food rationing leaner. Basically, every -er you could think of. 

Any regular TV-watcher would know well to side-eye such hype. But ITV has delivered one hell of a good season of reality television, with a cast of characters who are still going at it all these months later (the show was filmed last autumn).

Every time one scrap started to simmer down, another would rear its head on the other side of the South African camp. And all of it’s been jammed into a few weeks’ worth of programming.

Much of it has revolved around former boxer David Haye, who proved himself a wind-up merchant extraordinaire, with an absolutely bananas riff on so-called ‘ugly duckling syndrome’.

But he hasn’t been the only one in the mix, after a dispute between Jimmy Bullard and ITV over his attendance at the final reportedly prompted him to contact a lawyer. (He has since hinted he will indeed be at the final.)

But how has this run of episodes compared to previous seasons? As far as the first South Africa series goes, it blows that 2023 entry out of the water. 

As for the rest of the main show, it’s been labelled the best iteration in a decade by hardcore fans. ‘Superior format. Almost perfectly cast. Fast-paced, not the tedious same old daily routine for every show. Much more innovative trials and challenges. And, it just looks better!’ wrote @superTV247.

Loz agreed, writing: ‘This series has felt the most like the older series in a long time. I’ve really enjoyed it.’

‘It really has been the best in so many years. Can’t believe it’s taken so long to get a gem of a series again!’ wrote Adam.

So what has made this series of I’m A Celebrity such a lightning rod for drama and gossipy conversations? As with every reality show, it comes down to casting.

The team over at ITV managed to reach into the hat of past contestant names and pull out a roster of huge personalities. Not only that, they’ve proven themselves uniquely capable of getting on one another’s nerves.

Let’s relive this season…

Gemma Collins and David Haye

We should have always known Gemma Collins would deliver great scenes with her return to camp. Her first 72-hour stint in the Aussie jungle has gone down in show infamy.

The Towie star cried non-stop, said prisoners were treated better than the celebs on this show and claimed she had contracted malaria. 

This time around, Gemma lasted far longer on the strict provisions and Flintstones-style beds, but she did initially have issues gelling with David. 

He protested to her getting water during one of the horrific eating trials, in a move she labelled ‘evil’, before getting into her thoughts on his polyamorous lifestyle. ‘He wouldn’t deny them water,’ she told Adam Thomas (more on him in a moment). 

Things ratcheted up when the two camps combined. The low point was when David appeared to make a jab about Gemma’s weight during a discussion about her hair. ‘It definitely ain’t thin,’ he said, with Gemma seeming to understand the undertone to what he was saying. 

In the Bush Telegraph, she said: ‘You know what? I’m not always used to people dealing with me in an abrupt manner.

‘GC wouldn’t have given a flying f***. But, obviously, me, I am a bit more sensitive.’

Against the odds, the two big personalities did go on to strike up a rapport. When they left the camp together, they spoke to Ant and Dec about having settled their differences. 

David Haye and Adam Thomas

This one, however, seems to be rumbling on. David and Adam initially got on great, but after some choice comments about the Waterloo Road star’s decision to count himself out of trials on account of his arthritis, the relationship turned tense.

They have both spoken about hashing it out after the fact, with David labelling his preternatural ability to push other people’s buttons as banter.

But Adam has spoken about how David’s repetitive comments felt akin to bullying and resulted in him entering therapy after the show. 

Meanwhile, David claimed during a This Morning sit-down that Adam is ‘playing the victim’. We’ll have to see if they can finally bury the hatchet at tonight’s final. 

Sinitta and Gemma Collins

I’m A Celebrity fans might be scratching their heads over this one, since it’s largely played out after the show was filmed. 

There was that moment early on when Sinitta branded Gemma a ‘joke’ to her face, all over her casting as Mama Morton in Chicago in 2022.

She was given the role – her first on the stage – after Sinitta played the character in the production the year before. Gemma was forced to pull out days before due to a knee injury.

While Sinitta has said the pair grabbed a meal together in London after filming, she also appeared on Good Morning Britain this week to deny Gemma’s accusation that she has leaked stories about her to the press. 

Following Gemma’s exit from the show in Monday night’s instalment, Sinitta wrote on X: ‘Gemma Gi Jane. It’s a shame how things are. I thought we were on really good terms all along.

‘You were incredible, entertaining, funny, interesting and interested.’

Jimmy Bullard and Adam Thomas

The latest and not-so-greatest entry. Jimmy Bullard burned out during a trial with the first ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here’ declaration of the series. Except, his fate was attached to his partner Adam’s.

I’m sure you’ve all seen what followed: a sweary tirade from the actor, which it has been claimed was edited down to omit physical violence and the c-word. 

What was clear was that the former midfielder no longer wanted to be there. He did leave, while the I’m A Celebrity campmates voted that Adam could stay. 

Since then, it has been claimed that Jimmy sought out legal counsel over ITV’s alleged withholding of a portion of his appearance fee for the show, which was contingent on his appearance at the live London finale. 

However, it now seems that Jimmy will be going to the final and he plans to dish his side on what ITV aired of his fight with Adam. 

He reposted a video that fellow campmate Sinitta shared about the argument, in which she recounted: ‘A big argument. I can hear c-word, c-word, shouting, c-word, you c-word.’

In his caption, Jimmy wrote: ‘Wow thanks @thesinittaofficial shame that wasn’t shown! My version will be told Friday! Can’t wait to see you all….well some of yous!!’

The I’m A Celebrity…South Africa live final airs on ITV tonight from 7.30pm.

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