I’m A Celebrity South Africa star David Haye’s girlfriend has spoken out following the boxer’s controversial “ugly bird syndrome” remarks.
Last week, David faced criticism after making comments that many fans branded “misogynistic” during a chat with his campmates. The boxer spoke about what he called his “ugly bird syndrome” theory. Talking about his partner Sian, he said: “She’s lovely. She’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.”
Now, Sian has hit back at the backlash and revealed she was flattered by his comment, saying she is “fluent in David by now”.
What did David Haye say on I’m A Celebrity?
Last week on I’m A Celebrity South Africa, David ruffled plenty of feathers when he discussed dating Sian. He called her a “lovely” woman “with the personality of a proper ugly bird”.
David went on to explain: “Most ugly girls realise they gotta have a personality, to banter and tell jokes and [bleep], so people overlook the fact that they’re not aesthetically amazing straight away.”
He added: “It’s called ugly duckling syndrome. Where you get them when girls are ugly, when they start off, and then they get prettier as they get older, but they’ve still got the personality of when they were ugly.”
“David!” Scarlett Moffatt laughed again, while Ashley Roberts visibly cringed and muttered: “Oh dear god”.
Sian break silence on David’s comments
And now, in a new interview, David’s girlfriend Sian has hit back at the uproar David is facing following his remarks. She has insisted she was actually flattered by the comment.
“I consider it a compliment – a big one. I’m fluent in David by now and my family find it hilarious,” she told The Sun.
Sian added: “When David tells me I have the personality of an ugly bird — meaning a girl so full of life and character that her looks become irrelevant — he is giving me something the entire modelling industry never once did.”
She then revealed that she doesn’t “class it as inflammatory”. She also claimed that people who were upset by the remarks were “looking for something to be offended”.
Sian went on to say that her beau David “is the embodiment of masculinity” which she thinks women are not used to anymore. Nonetheless, Sian revealed she feels “completely safe” next to David as he is “exactly who he says he is at all times”.
David slammed again
The controversy comes as David found himself in hot water once more with many accusing him of “bullying” fellow campmate Adam Thomas.
Tensions between Adam and David flared once again, as David took issue with Adam sitting out of the day’s trial due to feeling unwell.
Despite joking that he would win 10 stars, Adam made it clear he wasn’t up to taking part in the trial. That decision didn’t sit well with David, who snapped: “Why don’t you do it? Are you that guy that you palms on to a girl on her birthday? It’d be amazing if you got off your arse and did something.”
Other campmates quickly stepped in, urging David to show some understanding, but he continued to vent. He said he didn’t like people who “didn’t do anything” or were “useless”.
The scenes didn’t go unnoticed by viewers at home. They took to social media to share their frustration, with some calling for official complaints to be made.
“Ofcom, just better get ready because I just know everyone’s reporting a complaint right now,” one fan tweeted.
“We better go to Ofcom and report that toxic behaviour. Shouldn’t be allowed on national television,” another wrote.
I’m A Celebrity continues Monday night (April 20) from 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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