Adam Thomas claims he was ‘exploited’ by ITV

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa winner Adam Thomas says he felt exploited by ITV during the show’s explosive live final on Friday evening. 

The Waterloo Road actor’s time at the Kruger National Park camp was overshadowed by a volatile row with former footballer Jimmy Bullard and accusations of bullying levied at ex-boxer David Haye. 

But his unveiling as the pre-recorded show’s winner during a live instalment, hosted by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly at London’s Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, ended in chaos as Bullard and Haye reignited their feud with Thomas in front of a stunned studio audience. 

Reflecting on his experience with brothers Ryan and Scott during the latest instalment of their Thomas Bros podcast, the actor, 37, suggested his fallout with the two campmates was taken full advantage of as Friday’s show progressed. 

He said: ‘I think for David [Haye] and some of these campmates who have come out, I feel like it’s just a show to them, do you know what I mean? 

‘It’s entertainment. It’s fun. And for me it’s not about entertainment, I’m not playing a character, I’m not here for anyone else’s agenda but my own, to have a f***ing laugh and enjoy this experience. 

I’m A Celebrity … South Africa winner Adam Thomas says he felt exploited by ITV during the show’s explosive live final on Friday evening

‘And I feel that’s the most disturbing thing for me, looking at David, and even after the show and everything he did, he sent me a voice note saying “Ah mate, what a great show that was, so happy you won, congratulations.” 

‘I just sent him a message back and said look, I think this is where I draw the line, I hope you find happiness bro, but I’m done now.

‘It’s hard, the whole experience. That live show, I just felt like I’d just been exploited, and I think you can see it, at the end of it. I felt like I was in the midst of it all, and it wasn’t even about me.’   

An emotional Thomas, who has been open about his struggles with mental health issues, also described Haye’s actions in camp as definite ‘bullying’ and claimed the former boxer left him in an emotionally vulnerable state after ‘getting inside his head.’  

‘What happened to me in camp was bullying, that is the matter of fact about it – it was bullying,’ he said. 

‘And I don’t think it’s fair, for people who were going through what I was going through in the real world, to pass it off as banter, because it’s not. 

‘And the reason why I didn’t speak up for myself when I should have done is because when I was in camp, everyone was passing it off as banter, as “Oh, he’s just doing it because he loves you.” So I laughed it off. I laughed it off and pretended that it was alright.’ 

He added: ‘I can see it from the other campmates’ lens why it may seem like it was banter and not bullying, I understand it. But I’m telling you my truth, and how I felt in there, and it was bullying.

‘I can also tell you that I spoke to David when I got out, and I asked him why. Why did you keep doing this to me? Why did you do it?  And he told me, “I’ve never met a nicer guy, I just wanted to break you.” 

‘If that isn’t classed as bullying, then I don’t know what is.’ 

His unveiling as the show’s winner during a live instalment ended in chaos as Jimmy Bullard and David Haye reignited their feud with Thomas in front of a stunned studio audience

The actor broke down while reflecting on his time in the jungle during the latest instalment of his Thomas Bros podcast

The actor was targeted by Haye after a medical condition ruled him out of certain Bushtucker Trials, prompting the ex-boxer to label him a ‘professional victim.’ 

‘Everyone says you’re playing the victim, that is the last thing that I ever want to do is play the victim, that is the last thing,’ he said. 

‘I just wanted it all to go away and I didn’t talk to anyone.’ 

According to Thomas the boxer pretended ITV had informed him of his mental health issues after he fainted in camp – an incident that was not aired by the broadcaster. 

‘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?” he recalled. 

Thomas discussed his jungle experience with brothers Ryan and Scott (pictured) 

‘So that was when I thought they know, the 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.’ 

Thomas claims he realised he’d been duped by the boxer after storming into the Bush Telegraph for a showdown with ITV producers, convinced they had told Haye of his personal issues.   

‘So I’ve gone in there breaking down and they said, “Adam, we’ve never once said anything to David about your mental health or any of that.”

‘I asked David when I got out and he said “Yeah I just made it all up.” I was like, wow, you really manipulated the s*** out of me.’

He added: ‘He got in my head like you wouldn’t believe, and that’s the thing, not everyone see that. Nobody sees the little comments he makes. 

‘He mind-f***** 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.’