David Haye to ‘sue for up to £10m’ over I’m A Celebrity edit ‘brand damage’

Former boxer David Haye is reportedly planning to sue ITV for up to £10million over claims that the edit of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa caused irreparable damage to his brand

David Haye reportedly plans to sue ITV for a whopping £10 million, according to allegations. The ex-boxer is said to have insructed a legal team and argues that the edit of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa has inflicted “irreparable damage to his brand”.

It’s suggested that Haye’s solicitors have dispatched a letter to ITV, the broadcaster of the show, demanding a probe into how the final cut was determined. Despite the I’m A Celeb spin-off being pre-recorded, the 45 year old faced backlash after making a series of sexist remarks.

In one scene, he branded co-star and series victor Adam Thomas “useless” after the Waterloo Road actor disclosed he wasn’t well enough to participate in a trial. Adam suffers from psoriatic arthritis, leading to joint inflammation and stiffness. Upon hearing this, Haye declared he didn’t “give a s**t”.

He also made comments slammed as sexist, leaving his campmates taken aback. Speaking about his girlfriend Sian, who works as a model, he said: “She’s like tall, blue eyes. She’s lovely. She’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.” He added that “ugly girls” need to possess “a personality and banter,” to compensate for “the fact that they’re not aesthetically amazing”.

“David is absolutely gung-ho about all of this – he is incandescent with rage about how the whole series has been handled and feels he’s being made a scapegoat by ITV,” an insider told The Sun.

The source continued to assert that Haye reckons he was purposefully edited to look hostile. The insider further claimed that David is “none of those” characteristics and has since faced online abuse following the programme’s national transmission.

One instance involves a remark that body-shamed Gemma Collins. The reality personality informed her fellow campmates that her hair was voluminous, prompting David to respond: “It definitely ain’t thin.” He allegedly suspects this was down to “clever editing”. The source revealed that his legal representatives will be examining the complete series to uncover additional instances.

“He is going for damages as a result of the ‘propaganda’ aired against him to recover lost earnings, which lawyers believe could total up to £10million,” the source alleged. It’s suggested that discussions David was conducting with Netflix regarding a programme and various brand partnerships have been suspended following the controversy engulfing him.

Haye isn’t the only individual said to be consulting with a law firm. Ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard is also reportedly contemplating pursuing legal proceedings against the programme and believes he was “stitched up” by ITV during the final cut, alleging that throughout his row with Adam Thomas, ITV failed to broadcast Adam calling Jimmy a “c***.”