'Angry’ Kathy Burke hits out at Ant and Dec for going ‘step too far’ on I'm A Celeb last year
Kathy Burke has really got it in for Ant and Dec after being left with a bad taste in her mouth due to last year's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
The actress and comedian, 59, has made it clear she still isn't happy with the Geordie duo four months after the finale aired and Sam Thompson was crowned as King of the Jungle.
As usual, there were plenty of controversies to keep viewers occupied throughout the 2023 series of the hit ITV show.
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Between Nella Rose's feud with First Dates favourite Fred Sirieix, two stars quitting and speculation that a panini had somehow made its way into camp, there was a lot to discuss.
As far as most people are concerned, I'm A Celeb hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly managed to keep their noses clean throughout the series - but according to Burke, they are two of the worst offenders.
The Kevin & Perry Go Large star revealed that she thought the pair had gone a 'step too far' last year.
During the latest episode of her podcast, Where There's A Will, There's A Wake, Burke explained that she had boycotted the show in protest of a controversial contestant.
Of course, it was none other than former UKIP and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
The presence of the former politician, who is now the honorary president of Reform UK, in camp ruffled feathers before he'd even touched down in Australia, as the news that he was part of the star-studded line-up was met with outrage online.
I'm A Celeb fans became even more irate when it emerged that Farage would be exempt from some Bushtucker Trials on medical grounds despite being the highest paid contestant of all time.
It is rumoured that the 60-year-old GB News presenter took home £1.5 million for his stint in the jungle.
But against all odds, Farage somehow earned a spot in the final and ended up coming third, which is when he told Ant and Dec he hoped his time on the show had proved that he is 'as human as anyone else' during his exit interview.
Although Burke obviously wouldn't have seen this due to her refusing to tune into I'm A Celeb, she clearly couldn't give a toss about Farage's kumbaya moment.
In fact, she was left 'really angry' with Ant and Dec because the outspoken TV host was included in the line-up.
While interviewing her podcast guest and fellow comedian Seann Walsh, Burke let rip at the duo.
The Gimme Gimme Gimme actress fumed: "I didn’t watch this year’s [I'm A Celeb] because of Farage being in it."
Walsh, who himself headed into the jungle in 2022, was clearly happy she stuck to her guns and responded by saying 'good for you'.
Burke continued: "Well, it was a step too far. I just thought, you f***ing arseholes. And I was really angry with Ant and Dec.
"They’re Irish descent, man! And also, I think it was really unfair on the rest of you, on the other contestants."
Walsh pointed out that campmates, including Farage, typically discuss 'really big moral stuff' on the programme, which he thinks 'shouldn't be on a light evening show that the kids are watching'.
Burke than asked the London-born funnyman if he was 'relieved' to hear that he might 'not be the most hated person' to ever participate in I'm A Celeb.
He responded: "That’s it. All I’m thinking is I hope I don’t get out of this and it’s like the last time. But actually, I had a lovely experience and really enjoyed it."
When he says last time, he's referring to his duration on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 where he was caught playing tonsil tennis with his professional dance partner Katya Jones.
Topics: Ant and Dec, Nigel Farage, Im A Celebrity, ITV, UK News, Ant McPartlin, Declan Donnelly
Olivia Burke