Dean McCullough responds to 'feud' with Ant after host admitted he was 'unprofessional' towards him

Recently evicted I'm A Celeb campmate Dean McCullough has addressed rumours of a feud between himself and host Ant McPartlin.

The BBC Radio 1 DJ was the second contestant to be evicted from this year's installment of the iconic reality show, following on from Loose Women's Jane Moore.

However, Dean has had to field questions about his relationship with Ant, who hosts the ITV show with his TV wingman Dec Donnelly.

During his stint in the jungle, Dean took part in seven Bushtucker trials, which saw him face up to bugs, snakes and all manner of creepy crawlies.

But many viewers noted that Ant appeared to be getting frustrated with Dean, as he quit one of the trials.

Ant himself even acknowledged that he'd taken a 'tough love' approach towards the Irish radio personality.

When being interviewed about his time in the jungle by Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain earlier today, Dean admitted: "I wouldn't say I loved doing the trials. What you don’t see on television is it’s very quiet, it’s all taken very seriously and it’s tense.

"When Ant was telling me off, it felt like a proper telling off, felt like he meant it and I wanted to win him back around."

Dean McCullough spoke about his time in the I'm A Celeb jungle, including the rumoured 'feud' with host Ant McPartlin (ITV)

When Susanna characterised Ant as being 'antsy', McCullough agreed.

"Yeah, I believe he was. But it worked," he responded. "It meant that I eventually got 10 stars home for camp and I got a handshake."

Reid, speaking to McCullough via satelite, noted: "It was a bit of tough love from Ant McPartlin there."

During Dean's exit interview from the show on Sunday, Ant admitted as much.

He said: "I was quite harsh on you. Let me explain why Dean. I was so angry at you for calling 'I'm A Celebrity'."

Dec then noted: "But that was because we felt that the trial was doable. And you panicked over the sand in sarcophagus."

Ant has explained why he felt frustrated with Dean during the Bushtucker trials (ITV)

Ant continued: "Then, that tough love kind of got you through. I was really proud of you at the end and that tough love got you through. By the flying challenge, you were brilliant. I knew you could do it."

Dean is far from the first contestant to have been voted for multiple trials.

Katie Price, Gillian McKeith and Helen Flanagan have all previously faced the wrath of the voting public.

This year's show saw Dean share the camp with N-Dubz star Tulisa, 'Wagatha Christie' Coleen Rooney and Love Island star Maura Higgins, among others.

I'm A Celebrity continues to air each night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.