I’m a Celeb viewers have slammed Nella Rose for her ‘insensitive’ reaction to Sam Thompson, after things heated up when he tried to support her before a task.
Nella, 26, was paired up with Sam, 31, for the recent Touchdown of Terror Bushtucker Trial, which saw them go head to head against Grace Dent and Nigel Farage.
Nella and Grace had to collect footballs from a box filled with bugs, before lobbing them over to their teammate, who was wearing a helmet that was also filled with creepy crawlies.
Ahead of the task, the Made in Chelsea star had vowed to give Nella all the ‘encouragement’ in the world – even if inside he was worried about letting her down.
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When he was first picked for the challenge, he excitedly told her: “I’m going to give you the most encouragement you’ve ever seen in your life.
“Think when a spider is hurling across the wall onto the face…”
But Nella suddenly cut Sam off, telling him bluntly: “I’m done. No, you just make everything worse.”
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Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, she admitted: “I love Sam to bits, I love him, but he overwhelms me very quickly.”
Sam, meanwhile, said he was feeling a bit ‘guilty’ out of fear he was going to let her down in the task.
Nella told fellow campmate Danielle Harold that she just wanted positive encouragement, before sitting Sam down to echo her thoughts – stressing that she just needed ‘calm’.
“Now this is the energy we need for the trial,” Nella told him.
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“You see this peace that we have just unlocked within you, we need calmness because your partner Nella gets overwhelmed and she tends to lock up.
“And then afterwards, when I do well, you can jump on my back.”
However, her comments were hit with backlash after the episode aired, with some viewers pointing out her response was ‘insensitive’ as Sam has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
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One tweeted: “Nella… it’s called ADHD, educate yourself.”
Someone else said: “Sam has ADHD, he's the way he is bc of it. I can't imagine how hard it was for him growing up wondering why he was how he was, finally being diagnosed and then BEING TOLD BY NELLA HE'S 'TOO LOUD OR W/E' HE CAN'T HELP IT. THAT'S WHO HE IS. IT'S PART OF HIM. LEARN MORALS.”
A third wrote: “Sam literally has ADHD… Nella tryna school him in that patronising way is almost picking at his character lmao. idk. that doesn’t sit right w me.”
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Another added: “Can the producers tell Nella that Sam’s got ADHD pls, her comments to him are so insensitive and she needs to learn to understand and respect that.”
Earlier this year, Sam released a Channel 4 documentary about his journey with ADHD, titled Sam Thompson: Is This ADHD?
It explored how he decided to find answers after turning 30, having spent his entire life 'struggling with inattention, disorganisation and hyperactivity' - seeking to find out where they were merely 'quirks of his personality', or if they are symptoms of ADHD.
While he tried out medication while filming the documentary, he ultimately felt it wasn't for him.
I'm a Celebrity continues tonight on ITV and ITVX at 9pm.
Topics: Im A Celebrity, Nella Rose, Sam Thompson
Jess Hardiman