Kathy Burke has revealed how TV presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly left her “really angry”.
The Gimme Gimme Gimme star spoke out against Saturday Night Takeaway presenting duo Ant and Dec while discussing the latest series of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Burke said she was left disappointed with the pair for not speaking up when ITV cast Nigel Farage as a contestant on the reality series – a decision that led her and many viewers to boycott the show.
Speaking on her podcast Where There’s a Will, There’s a Wake with guest comedian Seann Walsh, who appeared on the ITV reality series in December with the former Ukip leader, Burke said “I didn’t watch this year’s because of Farage being in it.”
Explaining her decision, she 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.”
While on the show, Farage had a heated exchange with First Dates star Fred Sirieix over environmental issues. Sirieix also criticised the politican for a controversial 2016 Brexit poster depicting a line of refugees trying to reach Europe under the headline “Breaking Point”.
Reflecting on his time in the jungle, Walsh admitted it felt strange when his campmates, including Farage, would talk about “really big moral stuff” as it “shouldn’t be on a light evening show that the kids are watching”.
When asked if he was “relieved” to think he might “not be the most hated person” on the show, he said: “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.”
The British star was referring to his controversial 2018 Strictly Come Dancing stint, where he faced scandal for kissing his professional dance partner, Katya Jones, during a night out in London. Both were in respective relationships at the time.
Following this incident, they issued an apology, branding it a “drunken” mistake.
