The headline-making showdown in the I’m a Celebrity all-stars series earlier this year might have boosted ratings for ITV, but it could be deterring stars from signing up to the show.
It has been reported that bosses were hoping to finally secure Loose Women star Denise Welch after years of attempts, but that she expressed concern over things turning south, much like they did for several contestants in the recent run.
The second all-star series, which brought back former contestants from previous I’m a Celebrity shows, resulted in the biggest row in reality TV history after a fallout between Adam Thomas and Jimmy Bullard, which even put hosts Ant and Dec through their paces.
Now, according to The Sun, Welch was considering following fellow Loose Women panellists Janet Street-Porter, Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore into a stint in the Australian jungle, but was put off by the controversy.
‘Denise has been top of I’m A Celeb’s campmate hit list for years,’ a source said. “She always shuts it down quickly, but this year she went in to meet the team to talk things through.
“Just when it seemed as though bosses had won Denise over, however, she pulled the rug from under them, deciding ‘it’s not one for her’.
The source continued: “She’s really busy focusing on her acting right now, but she also raised with producers that she didn’t like how Adam vs Jimmy played out. She feared something similar could happen this time and didn’t think it was worth the risk.”
The Independent has contacted ITV and Welch for comment.
At the heart of the I’m a Celebrity all-stars row was Adm Thomas and Bullard’s explosive showdown during a trial, which saw Thomas scream at Bullard for failing to try in a trial and therefore costing both of them a place in the competition.
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In the final, which reunited both contestants, Bullard repeatedly accused Thomas of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” before claiming that ITV “didn’t show” any of Thomas’s alleged “c-bombs” in the broadcast.
As a result, Ant and Dec began defending Thomas. David Haye – who had his own run-ins with Thomas – called him a “victim” and both Sinitta and Gemma Collins stormed off set. Thomas was eventually crowned the ultimate King of the Jungle, looking like the most dejected person to ever do so after the on-screen drama.
A number of the cast and their relatives have taken to social media since the dramatic night, describing the live argument as “upsetting” and “a glimpse of a real jungle”.
