David Haye is reportedly planning to sue ITV for ‘irreparable damage to his brand’ following his feud with Adam Thomas on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa.
The boxer, 45, is said to have instructed his lawyers to send a letter to ITV and he is demanding a full investigation into the show edit.
David was accused of ‘bullying’ eventual winner Adam on the programme, which was filmed last year, and he was also criticised by viewers for his comments about women.
According to The Sun, the retired athlete feels he was deliberately edited to be the show’s ‘pantomime villian’.
A source said: ‘David is absolutely gung-ho about all of this — he is incandescent with rage about how the whole series has been handled and feels he’s being made a scapegoat by ITV.
‘He can cite examples — such as the Gemma Collins fat-shaming moment, which used clever editing and snide eye-rolls, etc to make his remark look damning.
David Haye is reportedly planning to sue ITV for ‘irreparable damage to his brand’ following his feud with Adam Thomas on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
David was accused of ‘bullying’ winner Adam (pictured) during his time on the show which was filmed last year
‘He is going for damages as a result of the ‘propaganda’ aired against him to recover lost earnings, which lawyers believe could total up to £10million.’
The insider added that David was previously in talks about a show with Netflix which has since fallen through and other brand deal work is also thought to have been paused.
David has reportedly enlisted the services of £500-per-hour legal firm Gatehouse Chambers.
Daily Mail has contacted representatives of David Haye and ITV for comment.
The ‘fat-shaming’ remark about Gemma referred to an episode where the campmates were debating who would do a trial and Gemma said: ‘We all need to eat tonight,’ to which David replied: ‘You need to eat tonight.’
Gemma said: ‘You know what I’m like without food.’ David replied: ‘Where were you last night and where was I last night? What did I eat last night?’
During the live final earlier this month, all 12 contestants joined hosts Ant and Dec in the studio and intense scenes saw David go in for the knockout in a rant against Adam while Ant and Dec took a swipe the boxer’s ‘terrifying theories about women.’
The presenters went through some the series’ ‘scariest moments, including an intense camp row and some of David’s questionable topics of conversation.
Opening the show, they said: ‘This year’s campmates have survived Gemma Collins snoring… and the most terrifying thing of all, David Haye’s theories about women.’
Ant then pretended to square up to the sportsman for a fight as the audience laughed.
The pre-recorded series also saw Jungle Legend Adam come head-to-head in a heated argument with campmate Jimmy Bullard, with the moment being addressed during the final – and David couldn’t help but comment.
Upon hearing that Adam had won, David confronted the actor and questioned whether he ‘deserved to win after calling Jimmy the C-word’ in South Africa.
‘Yeah after that challenge I do think I deserve to win,’ Adam proudly replied.
‘Don’t you think you should ask Jimmy whether he thinks he deserves to win?’ David added. ‘Because there was a lot of that stuff cut out of it. Listen, I’ve got nothing but love for Jimmy, I think it was just… Adam plays the victim.’
The boxer is said to have instructed his lawyers to send a letter to ITV and he is demanding a full investigation into the show edit
Dec hit back: ‘David, you were gone. You weren’t even there!’
Adam added: ‘Will you just let the finalists talk?’ as Gemma put an arm out to hold David back while the studio erupted into chaos.
During a fiery This Morning interview on April 21, David accused Adam of ‘playing the victim’, after facing claims he ‘bullied’ the actor.
The boxer and the Waterloo Road star had a fractious relationship during their time together in the jungle with David being accused of ‘bullying’ after a series of swipes towards Adam were aired.
In one instance, this saw David brand the actor ‘useless’ for excusing himself from a trial due to his health.
In his appearanc on the ITV daytime show, David defended his comments to Adam as ‘banter’. He accused the Emmerdale star of trying to gain more sympathy by describing his ordeal as ‘the worst time of his life.’
The sportsman insisted he and Adam had been on good terms after the show, and he’d spoken to him just a day before the interview.
David said: ‘Some people had to the worst time of their life, Adam for instance, he said that was the worst of his life, I don’t know how soft his life has been!
‘I got on with everybody, even Adam. I’ve been chatting to him since, but this whole, the bullying thing, he fanned the flames, I think the angle is to play the victim card, even in the trials.’
Former Emmerdale actor Adam has autoimmune condition psoriatic arthritis and struggled with fatigue and dehydration in the jungle.
However, David claimed he ‘played a sickness,’ whenever a trial was due to take place, adding: ‘It flares up in convenient times as well and that’s what I’m saying.
‘He’s a super sweet guy, but I think he hams up, he’s a professional victim.’
Over the course of the series, viewers at home have branded the boxer a ‘misogynist’ and ‘pathetic’.
Campmates’ Scarlett Moffatt and Ashley Roberts were left in shock when David bragged about dating a ‘lovely’ woman ‘with the personality of a proper ugly bird’.
Speaking about his girlfriend Sian Osborne, David said: ‘It’d be good to get everyone together as well, after this. Sian can cook, for like, 60 people. We have these parties in Costa Rica…’
Pussycat Dolls star Ashley interjected: ‘Who is this woman?’ In response, David went on to describe her as: ‘Tall, blue eyes…’
Sinitta then said: ‘She sounds like she’s drop dead gorgeous.’
David replied: ‘She’s lovely, she’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.’
As Scarlett and Ashley asked what he meant by the comment, David clarified: ‘Most ugly girls realise they’ve got to have a personality to banter, tell jokes and s**t. People overlook the fact they’re not aesthetically amazing straight away.
‘What’s it called – Ugly Duckling Syndrome? When girls are ugly when they start off, then get pretty as they get older. But they’ve still got the personality of when they’re ugly.’
Speaking in an interview , Sian later told The Sun: ‘I consider it a compliment – a big one, I’m fluent in David by now and my family find it hilarious.
‘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.’
Sian went on to claim those who were upset by his comments were looking to be offended about something.
She also claimed David is ‘the embodiment of masculinity’ which she believes women are no longer used to.
It was revealed that David allegedly made the ‘sexist’ comments because he couldn’t use AI to ‘check if his comments were safe’.
He used to use artificial intelligence to fact check all of his speeches and public, social media comments, it is alleged.
A source said: ‘His focus inside camp has always been the game, survival decisions and camp dynamics rather than trying to offend anyone.
‘Those who know him best understand there was no malice behind the remark. When AI started he started using it all the time to check he’s not offending someone before he comments.
The insider added to The Sun: ‘It’s a bit of a comfort blanket for him – but he didn’t have that in the jungle. Those who know him best understand there was no malice behind the remark.’
