Dean McCullough sparks fury as ITV I’m A Celebrity fans outraged by ‘odious’ Melvin Odoom confrontation: ‘Grow up!’
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! wrapped up last weekend, with with McFly star Danny Jones crowned King of the Jungle, following in the footsteps of his bandmate Dougie Poynter, who won the show back in 2011.
Fans were able to enjoy one last piece of the series though as the Coming Out Show aired on Friday, but one controversial campmate soon became the topic of online conversation.
Radio star Dean McCullough, 32, was the second to be voted out of the series and seemed to be the main cause of tension in camp this year, despite the series seeing very few clashes.
His fellow celebrities seemed to agree that McCullough had been “lazy” with camp tasks, something DJ and TV host Melvin Odoom pointed out during the show, softening the blow with a few jokey quips such as labelling McCullough “Hou-dean-i” because of his habit of disappearing when jobs had to be done.
The Coming Out Show explored what each of the stars got up to upon exiting the jungle, and once Odoom, 44, was voted out, it didn’t take long for McCullough to confront him about what he had since found out.
It seems the Northern Irish presenter wasn’t ready to leave the conflict in the camp and made it clear he was unimpressed with Odoom’s jokes about him.
The episode saw Odoom approaching McCullough with two drinks before he handed his I’m A Celebrity co-star one, at which point McCullough greeted him with a frosty reception and placed blame on Odoom for the negative press he had garnered.
Fans were left fuming over McCullough’s scolding of Odoom, with many online noting he’d received criticism because of his own behaviour rather than anything Odoom had said.
“What the hell was Dean saying to Melvin. Grow up boy. #teammelvin #ImACeleb #deanimaceleb,” one fan wrote on X.
A second echoed: “Oh my goodness Dean on I’m a celebrity what an absolute w***er getting upset because he was called Houdini with Melvin then tell him Melvin he should’ve just told him the lazy manipulative sod… #ImACeleb #imacelebrity2024.”
“Sorry but Dean knows it’s not Melvin who’s contributed to him getting bad press. He knows it’s cos of himself. Why do you think he’s deleting every single comment about it on insta. He’s aware he would just rather point the blame than accept it #ImACeleb,” another shared.
“Dean needs to realise who the common denominator is after altercations with both Alan & Melvin. Dodged work and then played the victim by having a go at them for calling him out. Wimp. #ImACeleb,” someone else posted.
“Dean was a t**t in the jungle and his meeting up with Melvin afterwards show he’s just a t**t in general. A truly odious individual #ImACeleb,” another added.
A different user remarked: “Lol Dean getting all precious over Melvin’s Houdini comment. He was the same with Alan when he woke him up to do his allocated workload with Jane. He then rudely told Danny he should have his bed, was told no, then slept on it anyway. #imaceleb #imacelebcomingout.”
Some did defend McCullough though, with one person having penned: “I think this is the best team we’ve ever had on #ImACeleb , but it does make me wonder if this was the power of editing again cause the public really hated Dean and the camp seemed to love him. Kinda shows how the press works.” (sic)
During the awkward conversation, McCullough began: “I love how the whole Houdeani thing popped off, like the memes were brilliant.”
“I don’t think people realise why that happened,” Odoom replied. “I was busy doing the water and I just wanted you to help.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m just going to drop this line, with half the camp there, make everyone laugh.'”
Seeming to have a sudden change of heart, McCullough bluntly remarked: “That upset me.”
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“If I’m trying to give someone a message, I always use humour,” Odoom explained.
“That’s my number one way of communicating with people, that’s essentially my weapon, and that’s all that was,” he elaborated calmly.
“I saw Bush Telegraphs of you saying, ‘Oh, it’s another chore to ask Dean to do the chores,’ and I was like, ‘My guy’s not coming and talking to me…” McCullough argued.
Brushing off the comments, Odoom explained he had simply given him the nickname to ease the tension of reminding him to help out.
“But just take me to the side…” McCullough replied, clearly unimpressed with his former campmate’s explanation.
When Odoom pointed out it had been a “minor” incident and assured McCullough not to worry about it, he hit back: “Tell that to the papers.”