David Haye labels Adam Thomas 'fake' as he speaks out following I'm A Celeb feud: 'Professional victim!'

Lydia Davies
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:09:45 +0000

David Haye has launched a fierce verbal assault on Adam Thomas during an appearance on This Morning, labelling the Waterloo Road actor a "professional victim" who is "playing the victim card".

Speaking to the ITV presenters Thursday, the 45-year-old refused to back down from bullying allegations, insisting that footage not broadcast by ITV would reveal a different side to Mr Thomas.

Mr Haye declared: "He's a super sweet guy, but he's a professional victim, he is a professional victim."

The boxer claimed his fellow campmates would have the opportunity to share their version of events during Friday's live final.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

"Don't take my word for it, watch the live show, listen to what the other campmates say," he stated.

In a separate interview with The Sun, Mr Haye intensified his attacks on the former Emmerdale star, comparing him to a small dog breed.

He said: "Adam's like a kind of chihuahua. I'm more of a Doberman or a boxer or a pit bull or something. He's the chihuahua."

Mr Haye also dismissed Mr Thomas's autoimmune condition, psoriatic arthritis, which caused him to struggle with fatigue and dehydration during filming in Kruger National Park.

"I didn't know about it, but I couldn't care less," he added, doubling down on his "sick note" characterisation of the actor.

The former champion questioned Mr Thomas's resilience, asking: "If a few comments breaks him, how soft is he? How weak, how brittle-spirited is he?"

He added: "He doesn't need therapy. He needs to do some push-ups."

Mr Haye also alleged editing had shaped viewers' perception of events in camp, particularly regarding the confrontation between Mr Thomas and Jimmy Bullard.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

ITV I'm A Celeb bosses break silence over 'kicking' claims amid Ryan Thomas feud with Jimmy Bullard

I'm A Celeb fans accuse ITV of 'making it up as they go along' after 'unfair' Ashley Roberts exit

JK Rowling reignites trans row with ‘not everyone should decide their own rights’ remark

"You didn't see what really happened. They edited that right down. It was a lot more intense. There was the C-bomb," he claimed.

The boxer suggested Mr Thomas had "broke character" during the altercation and was "absolutely gutted" about his outburst.

Despite his criticism, Mr Haye predicted Mr Thomas would emerge victorious in the competition, attributing it to sympathy votes.

"He'll probably win it off the strength of all the old biddies going 'Oh, poor Adam!' That's the narrative, it's a TV show, they cut it how they want to cut it," he told This Morning.

Mr Haye noted campmates Craig Charles and Harry Redknapp had received online criticism for not immediately defending Mr Thomas.

The Soap actor has spoken publicly about the psychological toll of his time in the South African jungle, revealing he has been receiving professional support.

Appearing on the At Home With The Thomas Bros podcast alongside his siblings, the actor disclosed that he had turned to therapy following his experiences with Mr Haye.

"I found it so tough," Mr Thomas explained. "When I did it 10 years ago, I was in a completely different mindset."

The soap star described feeling trapped by the camp environment, unable to escape the situation as he would in normal circumstances.

"There's nowhere to hide," he said.

"I was always putting other people's feelings first before mine.

"It got to a point where I was like 'I am at breaking point here.'"

Mr Haye's stint on I'm A Celebrity... South Africa has been marked by controversy beyond his clashes with Mr Thomas.

The boxer sparked accusations of sexism after describing his girlfriend Sian Osborne as having "the personality of a proper ugly bird".

His comments left fellow campmates, including Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard and Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, furious.

Mr Haye first appeared on Ant and Dec's reality programme in 2012 before returning for the all-stars edition.