David Haye sparks furious backlash after saying girlfriend has 'personality of a proper ugly bird'

Jack Otway
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:27:28 +0000

Former boxer David Haye provoked outrage during Tuesday's episode of I'm A Celebrity after making controversial remarks about his girlfriend Sian Osborne.

The 45-year-old was discussing his partner with fellow campmates when he described her as "tall, blue eyes" before adding: "She's lovely, she's got the personality of a proper ugly bird."

Fellow contestant Sinitta had just remarked that Osborne sounded "drop dead gorgeous" when Haye made the comment.

Scarlett Moffatt reacted with visible disbelief, telling him: "You can't say that, David! You can't say that."

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Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts appeared equally stunned by the remark, asking Haye to explain what he meant by the statement.

Haye then attempted to justify his comments by elaborating on his theory about women's appearances and personalities.

"Most ugly girls realise they've got to have a personality to banter, tell jokes and s**t," he explained.

"People overlook the fact they're not aesthetically amazing straight away."

The former heavyweight champion went on to reference what he called "Ugly Duckling Syndrome," describing it as when women who were unattractive in their youth become beautiful later in life.

"But they've still got the personality of when they're ugly," he added.

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Roberts responded by looking down and pulling her hair across her face, groaning: "Oh, dear God..."

The Pussycat Dolls star's reaction captured the discomfort felt by several campmates as Haye continued his explanation.

Social media users were quick to condemn Haye's remarks, with viewers taking to X to express their anger.

One person branded the boxer "pathetic" with "all brawn and no brains," while another asked: "Who the hell does this David Haye think he is? Mysoginist much??!!"

Others described his comments as "disgusting" and called him a "vile human being" for his views on women.

"Can someone put a muzzle on David Haye? Disgusting, sexist and misogynistic," wrote one viewer.

Several questioned the decision to bring Haye back to the programme, with one asking: "How the hell did David Haye make third place last time."

Another stated they could not understand why he had been invited to return, describing him as "so sexist."

Elsewhere in the episode, Gemma Collins provided an unintentional moment of comedy when she tumbled backwards out of a hammock while trying to sit down.

The 45-year-old crashed to the ground with her legs in the air as the camp settled down for the evening, prompting laughter from her fellow celebrities.

Haye rushed over to assist Collins, telling her: "That's a terrible start."

"I'm fine, I've had a lot worse falls, oh, thank you David," Collins reassured concerned campmate Adam Thomas.