I’M a Celebrity fans tonight saw boxer David Haye risking the wrath of his toughest challenger yet — Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard.
Brave Beverley, 69, refused to pull her punches and threatened to “chin” the 6ft 3in heavyweight after he consigned her to the squalor of the South African camp’s Savannah Scrub.
David, 45, won his trial in the first episode of the series in Kruger National Park and had to chose whether Scarlett Moffatt, 35, or Beverley joined his team.
He knew the “loser” would be sent to the secondary camp, Savannah Scrub, where contestants eat basic rations, sleep on wooden beds and do not even have a door to their dunny.
When David chose Scarlett, Beverley warned: “Up yours — I will get my own back.”
Later she told actor pal Adam Thomas: “I’ve been a fan of his for years and years and years, but not any more I tell you.
Read more on Beverley Callard
“David Haye flipping sent me to Savannah Scrub! I was thinking, ‘You’re going to get it mate, you are going to get it’.
“I’ve thought about this, over the hours, thinking that I’m going to chin him and all the rest of it.”
Adam, 37, replied: “Please don’t chin David Haye!”
Meanwhile Scarlett told David: “I did appreciate you picking us, but I just think anyone of the age for a free bus pass shouldn’t be sent to Savannah Scrub.”
A source said David’s “disrespectful” move will likely surprise viewers.
They added: “David is clearly competitive and so perhaps understandably thought Scarlett would be a stronger addition than Bev but it was quite shocking when he did it.
“Savannah Scrub is entirely stripped back and sending a pensioner to sleep on wooden sticks is somewhat of a choice.”
I’m a Celebrity South Africa was recorded in September, five months before Beverley revealed that she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
She had surgery in March.
David was also seen angering showbiz veteran Sinitta, 62, when he picked comic Seann Walsh, 40, for his team.
Asked why, David said: “I think it’s pretty obvious.” Singer Sinitta hit back: “That’s just rude.”
It made her all the more delighted when she grabbed a star ahead of Seann.
Host Ant McPartlin asked David: “You’re happy to be proved wrong?” David said: “Sinitta rose to the occasion. I’m very happy.”
David had hinted at the drama when chatting to The Sun last week.
He said: “I’m a very competitive person, and you can’t always judge a book by its cover. I ate my hat a couple of times.”
The Sun has already told of showdowns between cast members including Gemma Collins, Jimmy Bullard and Adam.
Elsewhere in last night’s opening episode, Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, 44, showed off her athletic ability by performing the splits on a cliff-side see-saw.
- I’m a Celebrity South Africa continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
