Top News

I was a long-time fan of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!. I say was because the latest All Stars series has convinced me it has had its day and needs to be put out to pasture. It has been going downhill for a while - attempts to create controversy in recent years, such as introducing contestants like Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage, just felt a bit desperate. But this latest series has been one of the most antagonistic of recent times, and it was not an entertaining watch.

I have already written at length about David Haye, who consistently bullied, belittled and berated his campmates and showed a massive sexist streak. Nothing he did or said on the show was nice. He outraged his fellow campmates and viewers with vile and misogynistic remarks about his girlfriend and his opinions on women in general, which aired in the episode broadcast on Monday, April 13. He also fat-shamed Gemma Collins on numerous occasions in sickening scenes.

While Gemma is more than capable of looking after herself, she should never have been put in that position in the name of entertainment.

Meanwhile, Adam Thomas was less robust and broke down in tears recalling the former boxer's bullying, later revealing it "f****d with me mentally".

Adam also had a brutal falling out with former footballer Jimmy Bullard during his time in camp and has admitted his jungle experience has put him in therapy.

This is not the I'm A Celebrity fans know and love. Prior to this, the biggest trauma suffered by stars on the show was having to buy a new wardrobe because they had lost so much weight.

There is nothing entertaining about watching people being pushed to breaking point and bullied to the point of tears.

While there had previously been meltdowns in camp, they had been because there wasn't enough food or because someone didn't make an effort in a trial.

Watching this entire series has been an exercise in sadism. It was full of cruelty and unacceptable behaviour. And ITV bosses did nothing to intervene, basically admitting they condone this.

By reducing the content on the show to antagonism, ITV plumbed to new depths and showed they will do anything, even severely damage someone's mental health, in the name of viewing figures. If that is all the show has left to offer, it is definitely time to axe it.