Jimmy Bullard has finally laid his cards on the table — and it’s all about the money.
The former footballer, 47, openly admitted he signed up for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa “for the money”, revealing that his decision to dramatically quit the show wasn’t just emotional — it was strategic.
Speaking during the fallout of one of the most chaotic live finals in UK TV history, Bullard confessed he had already discussed the terms of leaving with producers before pulling the plug mid-trial.
He explained: “This is another important thing – my contract is pro rata… It’s all a job for us. It’s a job for me and that money is big for me and my family.”
According to Jimmy, the timing of his exit made all the difference. If he quit during a trial, he would still receive full payment — but walking out back at camp meant only a “small percentage” of his fee.
“I made my mind up in that light bulb moment, I was going home,” he said, adding that personal reasons also played a part.
The revelation comes after a live finale that spiralled into chaos, with Adam Thomas crowned Jungle Legend while tensions exploded on stage.
Jimmy used the moment to clear his name, insisting he never had a personal vendetta against Adam. “I didn’t have it in for this boy, never have done,” he said.
But the night quickly turned explosive again when Jimmy doubled down on his accusations, claiming Adam had been “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” during a heated off-camera clash.
He also accused ITV of hiding key footage, fuming: “You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty… Show it, let everyone watch it, let’s play it now!”
Hosts Ant and Dec pushed back, with Ant explaining the footage was cut because it was “unbroadcastable” and adding: “I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating.”
Adam, meanwhile, attempted to de-escalate the situation, saying: “I take full responsibility for my actions… I have apologised to Jimmy on numerous occasions… that is not how I want to show myself.”
But the tension refused to die.
David Haye reignited the fire, accusing producers of editing the show to make Adam look like a “victim”, while Sinitta stormed off stage shouting: “You weren’t there — it was aggressive and abusive, we were shaking.”
The explosive scenes capped off a series already plagued by bullying accusations, unseen footage rows and bitter feuds between castmates.
Even on the spin-off show Unpacked, Craig Charles bluntly summed it up: “Well it is all for the money, that’s why we’re here.”
And for Jimmy Bullard, it seems that reality couldn’t be clearer. The jungle may have been brutal — but the contract was always king.
