I'm A Celebrity star Scarlette Douglas looks unconvinced
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I’m A Celebrity news: Scarlette Douglas breaks silence on ‘race row’

Are viewers discriminating?

I’m A Celebrity star Scarlette Douglas has reflected on her popularity amid news reports of a ‘race row’ hitting the ITV show.

Presenter Scarlette was the second celebrity campmate to be voted off the 2022 series on Sunday (November 20).

The former A Place in the Sun star followed newsreader Charlene White out of the jungle, who was first out.

Scarlette’s exit came about after she and Babatunde Aleshe were informed the elimination was between them before her exit was confirmed.

As a result, these circumstances left many observers on social media concerned non-white participants may be facing discrimination from viewers.

I'm A Celebrity contestant Scarlette Douglas is pitted against Babatunde Aleshe
It came down to Scarlette Douglas and Babatunde Aleshe as she was eliminated (Credit: ITV)

I’m A Celebrity news: ‘I was never going to get the most votes’

Speaking to reporters after her recent departure, Scarlette has indicated she considered herself an “underdog”.

She said her departure ahead of others wasn’t a surprise as she believes other contestants have a greater profile.

Furthermore, Scarlette also highlighted how she even anticipated she wouldn’t compare to other stars in terms of social media followings.

Scarlette, 35, told the Daily Mail: “I’ve always come in here as an underdog. I’ve got the least profile of anybody else, you know, not everybody knows who I am. Hopefully they do now!”

You know, even if you’re just looking at something like Instagram, I always have the least amount of followers.

She then added: “So I was never going to get the most votes. You know, even if you’re just looking at something like Instagram, I always have the least amount of followers.”

Read more: Entertainment Daily Awards 2022: Vote for your Favourite Entertainment Show now!

Tearful I'm A Celebrity contestant Scarlette Douglas receives a hug
Tearful I’m A Celebrity contestant Scarlette Douglas receives a hug as she leaves the jungle (Credit: ITV)

I’m A Celebrity news: Scarlette on viewer ‘favourites’

Scarlette added her best hopes were to do her best in the jungle and hope viewers liked her for it.

However, she also acknowledged that viewers were voting to save, rather than voting to remove a contestant from the show.

She explained: “They’re voting for who their favourites are and if I’m not their favourite there’s nothing I can do about that. I just have to be true to me.”

Scarlette did however admit she would’ve liked to have stayed in camp.

But she refuses to take the result in a “negative” way as she had such an “amazing” time.

ED! has approached a representative for ITV for comment.

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‘Why is it always the black celebs out first?’

As Scarlette receivied her marching orders, scores of furious Twitter users saw a pattern in the first two eliminations of the series.

“Why is it always the black celebs out first?” one person asked.

Additionally, someone else pointed out there has not been a non-white King or Queen of the Jungle in 20 years of the ITV show.

Furthermore, another person posted: “Anyone who doesn’t question the possibility that the Charlene/Scarlette result could be racist, be it conscious or unconscious, is ignorant.

“It can’t be proven either way. But that uncertainty should make us all feel uncomfortable. Not just blindly state ‘it isn’t racism’.”

However, other social media users denied race is a factor.

One said at the time Scarlette was booted out: “Loads of the campmates have bigger fanbases and I don’t know who Scarlette is. She just fell between the cracks.”

Read more: I’m A Celebrity: Viewers furious as third celebrity is eliminated

I’m a Celebrity 2022 continues tonight, Tuesday November 22, on ITV at 9pm.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer