Loose Women favourite Denise Welch has reportedly ruled out appearing on I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! despite meeting with ITV bosses, citing concerns over the treatment of Adam Thomas in the recent South Africa series.
Denise Welch declines jungle offer
According to The Sun, the Waterloo Road star was put off after witnessing how Adam Thomas was treated during I'm A Celebrity… South Africa earlier this year. A source told the paper: 'Denise has been top of I'm A Celeb's campmate hit list for years. She always shuts it down quickly, but this year she went in to meet the team to talk things through.'
Just as ITV bosses thought they had won her over, Welch decided against participating. The source added: 'She's really busy focusing on her acting right now, but she also raised with producers that she didn't like how Adam vs. Jimmy played out. She feared something similar could happen this time and didn't think it was worth the risk.'
Bullying controversy in South Africa
I'm A Celebrity… South Africa, which aired in April 2026, was mired in controversy after allegations that boxer David Haye bullied soap star Adam Thomas, branding him 'useless'. David Haye denies bullying, calling his actions 'banter', and has claimed he is pursuing legal action against ITV, alleging he was misrepresented in the final edit.
The situation escalated when Adam had a heated argument with fellow contestant Jimmy Bullard during a bushtucker trial. Jimmy was sent home after the trial, but Adam was allowed to stay. Jimmy later claimed that ITV had edited the argument to make Adam look better.
Live finale confrontation
During the live finale, David and Jimmy confronted Adam, who was about to be crowned King of the Jungle. The argument led to Sinitta and Gemma Collins storming off stage, and even hosts Ant and Dec became defensive. Following filming, Jimmy and David were escorted away from the studio, claiming they were 'kicked out for trying to tell the truth'.
Adam later addressed his win on Instagram, stating: 'I have realised that when people try to dim your light, it says more about them than it ever will about you. This experience has shown me my strength in ways I never imagined. Not because of any title or recognition, but because I stayed kind, I stayed grounded, and I stayed real.'
Metro has reached out to ITV and Denise Welch for comment.
