Ant and Dec finally respond to chaotic 'I'm A Celeb' live final and 'car park confrontation'
30 April 2026, 13:32
I'm A Celebrity presenters Ant and Dec defend “unbroadcastable” edit and reveal what viewers didn’t see including the reported car park run in with David Haye and Jimmy Bullard.
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Ant and Dec have addressed the fallout from the turbulent I’m A Celebrity live final, speaking candidly about the on-air clashes and what really happened once cameras stopped rolling, including the reported clash they had with ex-campmates in the car park.
The presenting duo, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, reflected on the dramatic episode during their podcast, after a finale that quickly spiralled and drew more than 1,000 complaints to Ofcom.
The live show saw an emotional Adam Thomas crowned winner, but the result was overshadowed by renewed tensions involving Jimmy Bullard and David Haye.
Ant and Dec admitted the broadcast was difficult to manage in real time, with lingering animosity from the jungle resurfacing in front of a live audience and with conversations becoming incredibly heated.
Speaking on a clip from their YouTube series, Dec summed up the mood of the chaotic final and said: “We had a show on Friday night...” Ant added: “If you didn’t see it on Friday, I bet you read about it!”
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The confrontation itself stemmed from a pre-existing dispute that happened while in the jungle. Jimmy had previously accused his camp mate Adam of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating,” while David Haye suggested Adam had positioned himself as a victim.
Addressing the live final, Ant defended the edit, insisting viewers saw an accurate depiction overall, albeit with some elements removed; according to him, certain moments were cut because they were “unbroadcastable.”
Dec elaborated on Jimmy’s mindset going into the finale and said: “He had a bit of a bee in his bonnet and he wanted to get that off his chest.”
He also noted tensions had extended beyond the show, revealing: “We’d heard that Gemma [Collins] and Adam had left the WhatsApp group.”
Despite the explosive scenes on air, the hosts downplayed reports of a heated altercation backstage as well. Reports suggested Ant and Dec went on to be confronted by David and Jimmy in the car park after the show.
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Dec recalled briefly encountering Haye after the show, who appeared unfazed by the controversy, telling him: “What about that then? Hope you get some good ratings for that one.”
Ant wasn’t surprised by the reaction, brushing it off: “He doesn’t care, that’s David. That’s what he does, he’s a boxer, that’s his stock in trade, you know.”
As for the widely discussed car park moment, Ant insisted it was far less dramatic than it appeared.
Joking about the situation, he said he had spotted both David and Jimmy. He described a friendly exchange with David before moving on to Jimmy, where the interaction was brief and civil.
“I just shook his hand and I was like, ‘look after yourself’, and he was like, ‘yeah, cheers’,” Ant said. “So there was no confrontation. He wasn’t shouting at me, I wasn’t shouting at him.”
The controversy largely centres on Jimmy’s decision during the trial and the fallout that followed.
During the finale, he admitted: “Listen, Adam and all of you can be upset with me and I absolutely threw him under the bus, I get it and I’ll wear that.”
However, he stood firm on his criticism of Adam, adding: “But what I don’t stand on, is someone being abusive, aggressive and intimidating, I don’t stand on that.”
He also challenged the hosts directly, accusing the show of omitting key moments: “You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty.”
Watch the live I'm a Celebrity... row below:
Enormous row breaks out on I'm A Celeb final
Ant responded by reiterating editorial limits, saying: “The reason we didn’t air the C-bomb is because that is unbroadcastable. I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating. I was there Jim.”
Gemma Collins has since criticised Jimmy and David publicly, while reports suggest Haye is pursuing legal action against ITV, claiming he was unfairly portrayed through editing.
Meanwhile, Adam has shared his own perspective, describing the experience as deeply uncomfortable.
Speaking on his podcast, he said: “That live show, I just felt like I’d just been exploited.”
He also addressed his time in camp, stating plainly: “What happened to me in camp was bullying, that is the matter of fact about it – it was bullying.”
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