Adam Thomas has lifted the lid on what really went down during his time on I’m A Celebrity South Africa — and it’s even more intense than viewers saw on screen.
Fresh from being crowned the winner of the All-Star series last Friday (April 24), Adam’s journey wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. In fact, behind the scenes, things appear to have been far more uncomfortable than the show let on.
As the pre-recorded series aired, former boxer David Haye found himself at the centre of bullying claims involving Adam. Tensions had already boiled over during a trial with Jimmy Bullard, where a heated clash erupted after Jimmy nearly cost them their place in the competition.
But it didn’t stop there. During the live final, Jimmy hit back at the show, accusing producers of leaving out what he described as abusive behaviour. Adam later admitted he may have overreacted, while David sided with Jimmy and called for clarity on what really happened.
Adam Thomas reveals David Haye’s shocking unaired confession
The drama hasn’t died down since the final aired — and now Adam has shared his side of the story on his family podcast, At Home With The Thomas Bro’s, alongside brothers Ryan and Scott Thomas.
Holding back tears, Adam admitted he stayed quiet in camp because others brushed the situation off as “banter”.
Opening up about a private conversation with David after filming wrapped, he said: “I spoke to David when I got out and I asked him, ‘Why did you keep doing this to me? Why did you do it?’”
According to Adam, David’s response was blunt: “He told me, ‘I’ve never met a nicer guy. I just wanted to break you.'”
The actor didn’t hold back when reflecting on that moment, saying: “Now, if that isn’t classed as bullying, I don’t know what is.”
Looking back on his earlier comments, Adam admitted he had initially been “apprehensive and probably a bit diplomatic” about labelling the situation as bullying.
But now, his stance is clear: “What happened to me in camp was bullying.”
‘Wow, you really manipulated me’
Elsewhere in the podcast, Adam became emotional as he described how he felt “manipulated” during his time in camp.
He claimed David led him to believe ITV had raised concerns about his mental health after he fainted — a moment that never made it to air.
He explained: “He got pulled to the Bush Telegraph, and then he came out and he sat me down and said, ‘I’ve been worried about your mental health. They’ve told me to stop now. Have you been crying about me in there?'”
“So that was when I thought they know, they know what’s been going on, and that upset me more, because it’s the fact that I’ve never once talked about [David] or mentioned what [David’s] done to me.”
Adam said he later went into the Bush Telegraph in tears, only to be told producers had “never once said anything to David about your mental health”.
When he confronted David, he claims the boxer admitted: “Yeah, I just made it all up.”
“I was like, ‘Wow, you really manipulated the [bleep] out of me.'”
He added: “He got in my head like you wouldn’t believe, and that’s the thing, not everyone sees that. Nobody sees the little comments he makes. He mind-[bleep]ed me. It’s a gift, what he has. This energy I have, this light, for him to take that away from me, that’s a gift.”
‘I felt exploited’
Reflecting on the experience as a whole, Adam admitted the show took its toll.
Speaking about the chaotic live final, he said he felt “exploited” by ITV.
“I think you can see it, at the end of it,” he said.
“I felt like I was in the midst of it all, and it wasn’t even about me,” Adam continued.
ED! has reached out to ITV for comment.
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