I’m A Celebrity crowns ‘jungle legend’ after eventful all-star series

Spoiler warning: This article reveals details about the final of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa.

Actor Adam Thomas has been crowned king of the jungle in the latest all-star version of reality TV show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! after a drama-packed time in the camp.

Thomas’s rollercoaster ride in South Africa saw him clash with boxer David Haye and Jimmy Bullard, having an explosive row with the latter when the footballer apparently caused him to be eliminated, before the other campmates gave the Waterloo Road star a reprieve.

He went from the brink of despair to being voted the winner in Friday’s live final on ITV.

The other finalists were Olympic athlete Sir Mo Farah, TV and radio star Craig Charles, and former football manager Harry Redknapp.

It was the second series of the South Africa-set spin-off, in which past contestants return.

Thomas originally finished third on the regular show in 2016.

This time, his eventful stay included being on the receiving end of jibes from Haye, who later called him “weak” and “brittle-spirited”.

Thomas posted on social media on Sunday that the show was “one of the toughest things I’ve ever been through, physically, mentally, and emotionally”.

The 37-year-old wrote: “He broke me in there, he pushed me to my limits, and I’ve told David this and he’s apologised and that’s that! I’ve moved on now, am not one to hold a grudge.”

Thomas also said he didn’t talk about living with psoriatic arthritis “as much as I should do… but in there it really took its toll”.

Meanwhile, the actor was seen launching a furious tirade at Bullard after the footballer almost caused his premature departure.

When the pair teamed up for a trial in which the losing duo would be eliminated from the show, Bullard didn’t join in before saying “I’m a celebrity get me out of here” to forfeit the challenge.

Thomas reacted to apparently also being forced to leave with an expletive-laden rant at his partner, telling him he should have quit on his own or not done the show at all.

Producers didn’t show Thomas’s full outburst. “They watered it down,” Charles revealed. “It was unbroadcastable as it was. It was deeply traumatic and it was really upsetting. Adam was so wound up. He was so aggressive. It looked like he was going to attack Jimmy.”

Bullard called his reaction “pathetic” and explained that he had quit because he wanted to go home.

However, Thomas was saved when hosts Ant and Dec gave the other campmates the choice of whether he should be allowed to remain, and they unanimously agreed he should.

“I know a lot of my time in camp which has been aired recently has been drama,” Thomas wrote on Instagram on Thursday, “but there was so much more… so many laughs and so much love and warmth.”

The action in the South African camp was all filmed several months ago, but the winner wasn’t chosen until the live final in London.

And it has been an eventful series.

Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard was forced to withdraw after passing out in the show’s Bush Telegraph.

In February, she revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and said filming I’m A Celebrity “was the start of everything” in terms of feeling unwell.

She was unable to travel to attend Friday’s final on medical advice – saying she was “absolutely gutted”, but that “resting up and getting well is more important at the moment”.

Haye also faced controversy for his remarks about women, including saying his girlfriend has “the personality of a proper ugly bird”.

After being picked to leave in Monday’s episode, Haye was asked to choose one other celebrity to depart, and selected TV personality Gemma Collins.

Collins, a fan favourite, was taking part 12 years after quitting the regular show when she failed to adapt to jungle life.

Charles also made an emotional return to I’m A Celebrity after being forced to withdraw from the same series following the sudden death of his brother.

This year’s other contestants were TV star Scarlett Moffatt, singers Sinitta and Ashley Roberts, and comedian Seann Walsh.