I’M A Celeb fans have spotted some clues that Ant McPartlin is ‘raging’ with Dean McCullough after his Bushtucker Trial flop.
ITV viewers were left convinced that presenter Ant, 49, was secretly furious with Radio 1 star Dean, 32, after he called time on his first challenge and failed to secure any stars.
Ant, known for his playful banter with co-host Dec, appeared unusually stern, hinting at his frustration as he greeted Dean for yet another trial, titled Lethal Lab.
He even warned Dean that he was the “bad cop” in their hosting duo.
Dean’s upbeat demeanor after the trial seemed to catch Ant off guard.
As the DJ bowled into the clearing, Ant quipped: “Hello, Dean. I didn’t expect that. I thought you’d be a little bit forlorn, a little bit sad. It looks like you’re loving life. Have you been to the pub?”
Dean laughed it off, replying: “No, no, I’ve just had a cold shower.”
Ant then shifted to a more serious tone, confronting Dean about his recent failures, saying: “Now, Dean, I want to have a word with you. What happened yesterday? No stars. What happened the day before? You said, ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.’”
Dean admitted: “Oh, it’s not good, but that’s why I’m ready for it today, because we’re going to change the narrative.”
But Ant didn’t let him off the hook, firmly responding: “You can only change the narrative by sticking with it and getting on with it.”
The exchange left Dean momentarily stunned. “I feel like I’m being told off by Ant and Dec,” he joked.
Ant was quick to clarify: “Well, by me,” while Dec chimed in to reassure, “I’m good cop.”
Viewers were quick to pick up on Ant’s no-nonsense attitude, with many speculating he was masking his annoyance with humour.
The Sun told today how Dean is now camp enemy number one after bottling challenges and the Teagate saga.
The radio host cost his campmates half of the cupcakes Melvin Odoom won on last night’s show after revealing he had smuggled in contraband teabags.
And he chickened out of another Bushtucker Trial for a second time in as many days.
Dean won just four stars out of ten before quitting the Lethal Lab challenge, which saw him put his head in boxes of creepy-crawlies.
On Wednesday, he and podcaster GK Barry failed to gain a single star during their Drown in the Dumps task.
And Dean was seen in tears on Tuesday night’s show after quitting the Sinister Sarcophagus having retrieved just two stars.
Now sources say there is “discontent” growing in the camp.
One said: “The celebs have been starved of good food and to then have a luxury like the cupcakes snatched away over something a bit silly is frustrating.
“Dean is a nice lad but there’s only so much the celebs will be able to take.”
Teagate kicked off when Barry McGuigan realised his tea was a darker colour than normal.
Alan Halsall joked: “We got a bit of mud in the kettle but try it.”
Barry took a sip then gave a sly wink to Alan and Dean and said: “Fantastic!”
On ITV2 spin-off show Unpacked, Ant McPartlin slammed Dean and GK over their Drown in the Dumps failure.
He said: “I got quite annoyed at one point because it’s a bit like, if you can’t do it, you can’t do it. But just try it.”
I’m A Celeb 2024 – late entries
MAURA Higgins is a late entry to I’m A Celeb 2024. Yet who is joining her?
2019 Love Island star Maura, 33, will be a late entry to the jungle line-up.
She will head into the I’m A Celeb camp, along with the Reverend Richard Coles, 62.
The duo will join the likes of Coleen Rooney, Barry McGuigan and Danny Jones in Ant and Dec’s jungle camp a week into this year’s star-spangled series.
Yet initially the duo will have their own private base – and a secret mission – before heading into the main compound Down Under.
Maura has already described the jungle as “hell.”
Meanwhile Richard, who has starred on Strictly, has confessed his biggest “fear.”
