Adam Thomas Breaks Silence on David Haye 'Bullying' Incident in I'm A Celebrity South Africa
Waterloo Road actor Adam Thomas has candidly revealed the profound emotional and physical impact of his experience on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! South Africa, specifically highlighting how former boxing champion David Haye 'broke' him during the show. The 37-year-old star, who first appeared on the ITV series in 2016, participated in the pre-filmed All Stars edition last September alongside notable celebrities including Scarlett Moffatt, Gemma Collins, and Harry Redknapp.
The Emotional Toll of Camp Conflict
In a heartfelt Instagram post over the weekend, Thomas shared a poignant photo of himself lying in a hammock, describing it as an image that 'breaks [his] heart' because it captures the internal turmoil he was enduring. He confessed that at the time, he believed the tense atmosphere in the camp was entirely his fault, but has since realized this was not the case.
'My time in I'm a Celebrity South Africa was one of the toughest things I've ever been through, physically, mentally, and emotionally,' Thomas wrote. 'Watching it back hasn't been easy at all. There were moments I felt pushed to my absolute limit, and if I'm honest, times I didn't even recognise myself.'
Struggling with Psoriatic Arthritis in the Jungle
The actor also opened up about the additional challenge of managing his psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune condition he was diagnosed with in 2023 that causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. 'Living with arthritis is something I don't really talk about, as much as I should do...but in there it really took its toll,' he admitted.
'My biggest fight was pretending to put on a brave face and trying to hide the pain! That can be exhausting within itself. There were days my body just didn't want to keep going, but I did.'
Reflections on Conflict and Personal Growth
Thomas acknowledged that he wasn't 'perfect' in how he handled himself on the show, expressing regret that he didn't 'speak up for [himself] sooner' and stand his ground instead of trying to maintain peace. However, he has emerged from the experience with valuable insights: 'being kind doesn't mean being weak, and sometimes it takes going through tough moments to find your voice.'
Regarding his specific conflict with David Haye, Thomas stated plainly: 'He broke me in there, he pushed me to my limits, and I've told David this and he's apologised and that's that! I've moved on now, am not one to hold a grudge.'
Support from Fellow Celebrities and Public Backlash
The actor received an outpouring of support in response to his post, with co-star Ashley Roberts writing: 'Adam bless you. You have such a big heart. I'm sorry you struggled in there.' His brother Ryan Thomas joked about needing to 'give @tonybellew a call' to handle Haye, while Scarlett Moffatt praised Thomas as 'one of the kindest men' she knows.
This revelation comes after Friday night's episode sparked controversy when Haye responded dismissively to Thomas feeling unwell and not wanting to participate in a Bushtucker Trial. 'Who gives a s**t?' Haye said when asked if he would apologize for his attitude, later adding: 'He's a grown a*s man. I don't like guys when they're a bit useless.'
Additional Camp Conflicts and Aftermath
The tension between Thomas and Haye wasn't isolated, as the pair had previously clashed after Thomas broke camp rules by sneaking in chocolate. Haye also faced criticism for appearing to 'fat-shame' Gemma Collins and for controversial comments about his girlfriend, model Sian Osborne.
According to television sources, Thomas also had a heated argument with fellow campmate Jimmy Bullard that involved strong language and led to a temporary rift, though this incident is not expected to air. Despite these conflicts, Thomas emphasized that he has since had necessary conversations and chosen peace, indicating that hard feelings have been resolved.
Now in a 'much better place,' Thomas expressed pride in his resilience: 'What I'm most proud of, is at times like this I wanted to walk, I wanted to quit but I didn't. Even when I wanted to walk away, even when it felt like too much, I never give up! and that means everything to me.'
