I’m A Celebrity contestant Adam Thomas has been warned over his rough treatment on rats in last night’s episodes.
The Emmerdale hottie took part in the Food Factory Buchtucker Trial and animal rights group PETA are NOT happy.
Viewers saw him delve into a huge tray of rats as he tried desperately to grab a star from underneath them.
Adam, being Adam, was shouting, screaming and even slammed one of the animals against the side of the enclosure causing Ant and Dec to tell him not to.
The Geordie hosts told him to be “nice and gentle” with the innocent animals, who looked frightened after being manhandled by a very scared Adam.
Read more: ITV forced to apologise after I’m A Celebrity uproar
Elisa Allen, the Director of PETA UK was angry with the show’s producers and wanted them to show a bit of empathy.
Talking to The Sun, she said: “A token call for Adam Thomas to be gentle, as he furiously rifled through a tub packed with frightened rats, was little comfort to the animals, as they were shoved around with nowhere to escape.
“Rats are sensitive, intelligent animals who have been known to put themselves in harm’s way deliberately, rather than allowing another rat to suffer – a demonstration of empathy that the producers of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! could learn something from.
“After fourteen years of the same tired and tacky ‘challenges’, people are no longer wondering whether a celeb will win silly plastic stars but whether the show might ever try something original, witty, or smart, instead of bullying or otherwise harming animals for nothing more than a cheap, immature laugh.”
Read more: Jeremy Clarkson’s The Grand Tour sparks race row
Awks. Some strong words there!
An ITV spokesman has responded to all the outrage and said: “At each of the Bushtucker Trials, which feature animals or insects, we have qualified and experienced animal and insect handlers on site and every trial has been carefully tested and developed.”
Well, we think they’re doing a pretty good job!