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

Lydia Davies
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:07:36 +0000

Ashley Roberts’ shock exit from I'm A Celebrity… South Africa has sparked backlash, with fans accusing ITV of “making it up as they go along” just days before the live final.

The former Pussycat Dolls star was sent home after finishing last in a memory-based challenge, leaving viewers stunned.

The trial, titled Keys to Success, required campmates to correctly place coloured keys using trial and error, with the slowest contestant automatically eliminated.

Ms Roberts clocked a time of 11 minutes and 23 seconds, compared to Olympic champion Mo Farah, who completed the task in just 30 seconds.

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Despite her disappointment, the singer remained upbeat following her exit.

“I’m very gutted I didn’t make it to the end… I thought I could get through this."

She continued: "Unfortunately, Mo did his puzzle in 30 seconds, you could have made a cup of tea, and I still would have been there…”

However, fans quickly took to social media to question the fairness of the elimination, with many arguing the twist was only introduced due to earlier disruption in the competition.

The controversy stems from footballer Jimmy Bullard quitting the show the previous day before completing a Bushtucker Trial, which had been expected to result in two eliminations.

His sudden departure meant only one contestant left the jungle, forcing producers to adapt the format.

Viewers believe this led to the introduction of the puzzle challenge to even out contestant numbers, ultimately costing Ms Roberts her place in the competition.

One user wrote on X: “Being eliminated over putting keys in order doesn't seem fair #imaceleb.”

Another said on Instagram: "This is rigged because absolutely no way."

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A further post read: “That was totally unfair. Poor Ashley… that stupid puzzle was to even the numbers out.”

"Gutted! Ashley was so amazing!" another penned, while a fifth fan said: "She was my winner!"

Another accused ITV of "making it up as they go along!"

Ms Robert's departure came shortly after fellow contestant Sinitta also exited the jungle after struggling during a separate Bushtucker Trial.

The singer chose to leave after calling out the show’s famous catchphrase during the challenge, prompting campmates to vote on who should go home.

During her time in the jungle, Ms Roberts became a fan favourite for speaking out amid a bullying row between campmates.

In an interview on This Morning on Monday, the star revealed she had directly confronted fellow campmate David Haye over what she described as “shocking” language and behaviour towards Adam Thomas, adding that the atmosphere had become “uncomfortable”.

The singer noted that Mr Haye’s repeated criticism of Mr Thomas, who was struggling with psoriatic arthritis, had crossed the line from banter into bullying.

She also admitted to an explosive off-camera clash with the former boxer that was not shown in the final edit, during which she challenged his remarks.

Following her exit, Ms Roberts continued to support Mr Thomas, backing him publicly in a separate dispute with Mr Bullard and saying the situation “didn’t feel fair”.