Yahoo News McLean accuses I'm a Celebrity co-star of misconduct
Nicola McLean has accused her former I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! co-star David Van Day of "sexually inappropriate" behaviour while they were working on the show.
The two were both on the ITV reality competition's eighth series back in 2008, and made headlines that autumn for a series of heated rows with one another.
Nicola is coming forward 11 years later with accusations that the former Guys 'n' Dolls and Dollar singer touched her inappropriately during a challenge in the jungle.
(David Van Day and Nicola McLean on I'm a Celebrity, 2008)
"I was washing a car but he thought it was appropriate to spank my bum and try to kiss me," she remembered in an interview with The Sun.
"His behaviour was very strange and made me feel so uncomfortable. I'd gone from arguing non-stop with this man who was old enough to be my father – to have his hands on my body when I was wearing my bikini.
"It was very sexually inappropriate. He even said, 'I'm a hot blooded male and I can see two things I like'."
She also argued: "If David Van Day had done what he did to me to someone who wasn't a glamour model, there would have been uproar."
Nicola acknowledged that I'm a Celebrity producers did address Van Day's alleged misconduct at the time, but she says she chose not to take the matter further out of fear of career implications.
"The bosses called me in straight away and asked me about it," she recalled. "They did ask me if I felt David should be removed... I was grateful they could see I was uncomfortable and made sure I was okay.
"I was only 26 and I thought I'd just put up with it. I wouldn't do that now though... I was worried about work and whether people would hire me again – I didn't want to cause a fuss – but really I should have thought, 'F**k it, I don't care if I never work in TV again – I shouldn't let a man twice my age act inappropriate with me'."
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! channel ITV declined to comment on Nicola's recollections. Digital Spy has also reached out to David Van Day's representative for a response as well.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.
You Might Also Like
