I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star Tony Bellew has swiftly become a huge hit with viewers at home after he rocked up on the ITV programme alongside jockey Frankie Dettori.
The two newcomers have certainly shook things up within camp, with Tony quickly establishing he had a super-fan in the jungle who couldn’t wait to befriend him. Excited Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson couldn’t wait to pounce on the boxer after realising his cruiserweight hero was now part of the celebrity clan.
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Apart from having a few admirers, Tony has already gone on to prove himself as a worth competitor. Taking on the gruesome shake drinking challenge alongside politician Nigel Farage.
While the boxer struggled to stop himself from throwing up each time, he did manage to consume all of the shakes handed to him. Much to the surprise of everyone watching.
Apart from the fact we know Tony can throw a mean punch and appears to be a team player, Daily Star couldn’t help but want to understand more about the boxer and some of the controversies he’s been caught up in.
Dana White comment that sparked mass criticism
(Image: WireImage)
Back in 2022, Bellew seemed to kind of defend UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) CEO Dana White after he was caught on video belting his wife after she’d slapped him first.
The incident involving the UFC boss and his wife, Anna Stella began to trend on Twitter. With many people taking to their own platforms to add their thoughts on what had gone down, with a strong majority condemning Dana.
Bellew joined the ranks with adding his two pennies worth, but was heavily criticised for his views that were penned on the platform X – which was formerly known as Twitter. With internet users confused over his statement.
(Image: James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock)
Accepting his fate, White later explained to TMZ that there was “no excuse” for his behaviour and later on telling a press conference that he would be “owning” his actions and accepting the appropriate “punishment’”.
Following up with a Tweet after the press conference, Bellew wrote: “I don’t condone men hitting women in anyway shape or form but I must also say I don’t condone women slapping men and expecting nothing back!
“Dana White has owned this an fair play to him. The punishment is his life is played out in public. Imagine others done what he’s done here!”
Backlash flooded in beneath Bellew’s comment with one person pointed out: “‘You literally just said you didn’t condone it and in the same sentence condoned it!” another fumed: “Incredibly disappointing statement of whataboutery and gaslighting,” as another barked: “Horrendous take.”
Saying James Bulger’s killers should be gassed
(Image: Getty Images)
Bellew a father-of-three, felt outraged (like many people) after two year old James Patrick Bulger was lured away from his mother in Bootle, Merseyside in 1993. James was tortured and murdered by 10-year-old’s Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
Thompson and Venables became Britain’s youngest convicted killers and were sentenced to life in prison. But in 2001, had been given new identities and released back into the public.
Venables re-offended after child sex abuse images were found on his computer and he was sent back behind bars once again in 2017. This sparked fresh debate on whether justice was served for poor James.
In February of the following year, Channel 4 released a documentary, asking this very question after there had been several cries that “Venables had not learnt his lesson” at all.
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Weighing in on the situation, Bellew tweeted: “9pm tonight Channel 4! The Bulger Killers: Was Justice Done?
“I’ll answer this question before it’s even aired! NO justice wasn’t done! One is now a registered peadophile an multiple offender while the other is also a scumbag to! They should of both been gassed when they done it!”
Many online users agreed with the boxer but some felt Bellew had gone too far with wanting Venables and Thompson to be “gassed”. A term used that many associate with the holocaust and Nazi Germany.
Squaring up to Ant Middleton on SAS: Who Dares Wins
(Image: Getty Images)
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Bellew took part in the Channel 4 reality TV programme Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and things certainly turned tense during his stint on the programme.
Ant Middleton is renowned for putting celebrities through their passes and testing their patience which did cause a clash when he came face-to-face with boxing champion Bellew.
The instructor and TV personality actually believed he was going to get into a physical fight with the boxer, telling The Mirror in 2020: “That was a clash of two lions. I was ready to just go for it. I really was.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
The spat kicked off with Bellew and Middleton swearing at one another after the sportsman and other celebrities has missed transport vehicles during a task. With the cruise-weight star stepping in and going head-to-head with the instructor.
Although Bellew lost his temper in the moment, he was the one who eventually backed down and admitted to Middleton that it was his “f***ing fault. As he stepped away taking some deep breaths.
I’m a Celebrity.. Get Me Out of Here! airs on ITV1 and ITVX nightly at 9pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
