On stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, a far cry from the sweaty basement punk shows of the band’s early days, Jimmy Eat World played breakthrough power pop hit “The Middle” as the sold-out crowd sang along with the final chorus that “everything will be all right, all right.”
“It really is incredible to us to think about everyone who bothered to spend time with this record and made something of it for themselves over 25 years. This is your guys’ record as much as it’s ours, really,” singer-guitarist Jim Adkins said from the stage.
The band, which has generally shied away from nostalgia plays over its 30-plus year career, is performing the platinum-selling “Bleed American” album in its entirety on tour this summer, including a stop at Warped Tour in Long Beach on Saturday, a matching bookend to the band’s original promotion of the album.
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“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll. And that moment only happens once, so it felt appropriate to honor it at 25,” bassist Rick Burch said backstage before the band’s Brooklyn tour stop in June.
Released on July 24, 2001, “Bleed American” was one of the last great rock records of the monoculture, arriving months before Apple’s iPod launched and made shuffle the default and 15 years before streaming became the dominant way to consume music.
“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” says Jim Adkins.
(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)
A hit with Hollywood roots
Just over a quarter of a century ago, four guys from Mesa, Ariz., came to L.A. to record their fourth album.
Jimmy Eat World’s Adkins, Burch, drummer Zach Lind and guitarist Tom Linton earned recording money between tours by working construction, driving around car dealership customers and selling art supplies and auto parts.
The band had cut ties with Capitol Records after 1999’s “Clarity” — a sweeping, lush and highly influential work highly regarded by their contemporaries that would inspire third-wave emo superstars including My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Paramore — that the major label had no idea how to market, even after “Lucky Denver Mint” got pickup on L.A.’s alt rock tastemaker KROQ-FM.
“If that song would have been on ‘Bleed American,’ that would have been a No. 1 song,” said Jim Suptic, of Kansas-based second-wave emo band the Get Up Kids, who have been on the “Bleed American” anniversary run. Suptic said that he was inspired to start the band after seeing Jimmy Eat World live in the mid-’90s.
With the band’s tight budget, producer Mark Trombino, who produced “Clarity” and predecessor “Static Prevails,” worked with the band for free in L.A., banking on the future success of the album. After recording drums at Cherokee Studios, the band relocated to Harddrive Analog & Digital Recording in North Hollywood to make the bulk of “Bleed American.”
“The studio was so small, it didn’t have a lounge,” Lind recalled.
But there was a bus stop outside they used instead, where they would hang out with “an assortment of characters,” Adkins said.
He and Lind commuted to the Valley from Redondo Beach, where they crashed on the floor of Lind’s brother’s place. Linton fondly remembers the great food in the city and hanging out with friends in other bands while Burch spent downtime skateboarding in L.A.
Even without the cash or support from a label, recording “Bleed American” didn’t feel like a do-or-die moment for the band’s future.
“We just kind of figured we might have to go out and just release this ourselves. Let’s just do the best job we can, and be happy with what we put out,” Linton said.
But with the buzz growing around the new music, record labels came calling.
‘The Middle’ meets the moment
By the time the album dropped in July 2001, the guitar-heavy snarling title track of “Bleed American” had already been in regular rotation on alt-rock stations for a month.
After a stint on the Warped Tour, Jimmy Eat World set out on a U.S. headlining tour in the fall, with Hey Mercedes opening.
“I remember that tour in particular, them sort of really finding their confidence in their voice and their shows and their performance and the whole package. And this was before ‘The Middle’ really broke, but I could tell that they were really firing on all cylinders,” said Hey Mercedes singer-guitarist Bob Nanna, whose influential emo group Braid first played with Jimmy Eat World in 1998.
The album landed on the Billboard charts three weeks after its release, and while its peak position was 31, it remained on the chart for 70 weeks. (A couple of months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the name of the album was changed to “Jimmy Eat World” on pressings before reverting to the original title in 2008.)
“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” Adkins said.
By 2002, “Bleed American” was taking off due to the popularity of the song “The Middle.”
(Scott Gries / Getty Images)
The media landscape hadn’t yet transformed. Rock music magazines like Spin, NME, Alternative Press and Kerrang! were thriving. The band made the rounds on the late-night talk shows as “The Middle” video clip played on MTV’s popular show “Total Request Live.”
“Things hadn’t splintered out into a zillion niche locations just quite yet,” Adkins said.
By March 2002, “The Middle” had hit the Billboard charts, where it climbed to No. 5 by the summer and spent 33 weeks on the Hot 100.
“They were a real band that had a radio hit, and not a radio band reverse engineered,” the Get Up Kids’ Suptic said.
The success was surreal for the band members as they heard the song on the radio, in restaurants and the gym. Today, you can still summon an entire generation with the opening guitar melody.
“I understand why that song has resonated,” Lind said. “I think there’s a few themes in the album that resonate with people in times when things are going tough. You know, ‘The Middle’ is definitely one of those songs that so many people have found encouragement from, whether they’re dealing with a breakup or going through cancer.”
“It seems like one of those songs that people have used to feel better and I think that’s obviously really powerful.”
“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll,” says bassist Rick Burch about the success of “Bleed American.”
(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)
Here we are now
But the fans selling out the tour dates around the U.S. know much more than the hits, singing along to the deep cuts after traveling hundreds of miles to get to the show, in some cases.
Fans traveled from states like Michigan and Texas for the tour kickoff at Red Rocks in Colorado.
Robie O’Donnell took the train up to New York from the Washington, D.C., area to take his 12-year-old daughter to her first Jimmy Eat World show. The Brooklyn show was his 25th after he discovered them in the late ‘90s from a recommendation on the Get Up Kids’ website.
Behind him in line hours before doors opened was Jane Kung, who was only 8 when “Bleed American” was released and got into it when she was in high school. She didn’t want to miss the chance to hear it live.
“The fact that so many people wanted to come see this is something I didn’t expect,” Adkins said about the tour.
The fans get a chance to geek out over the rarely-played deep cuts from the album, like “Your House,” which required a revamp because of the studio work on the song, and the live debut of “(Splash) Turn Twist,” which was on the Japanese import of the album. Even louder than the sing-along to “The Middle” is the call and response from the crowd on the album’s second-biggest hit, “Sweetness.”
“Having this piece that we’ve created be embraced by so many is a very accomplished feeling,” Burch said.
Nanna even ventured into the crowd after Hey Mercedes opened the Brooklyn show, singing along to “A Praise Chorus,” the band’s crunchy guitar-filled love letter to rock music, among others.
“The world is a tough, s— place now and to have these moments where everybody can sing along to something that’s just pure joy was really soul enriching,” he said.
WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles is reportedly under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations.
The investigation came after the New York Post reported in April that the 51-year-old, five-term congressman had been spotted kissing a much younger congressional staffer from a different office in 2023.
According to CNN, which on Tuesday first reported news of the investigation, the congressional committee learned of other allegations of sexual misconduct as it investigated the report of Gomez’s 2023 conduct with the staffer.
The 2023 incident with Gomez and a younger staffer reportedly occurred at a party hosted by Swalwell, according to the New York Post. Gomez’s office denied the report at the time.
Another lawmaker, Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, also resigned from Congress in April in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct with a former staffer who later committed suicide.
Both Swalwell and Gonzales were under investigation by the ethics committee before they resigned, but those investigations ended when they left office as the committee only has jurisdiction to investigate sitting members.
Gomez’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment, but, in a statement to CNN, Gomez said he would cooperate with the ethics investigation. While he acknowledged making “personal mistakes” outside his marriage and apologized to his family, he said his actions didn’t violate House ethics rules.
“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family. Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most,” Gomez said.
The House Ethics Committee declined to comment on the reported investigation.
Gomez is married to Mary Hodge, a past top aide to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. The couple have a son whom Gomez wore in a baby carrier during the lengthy House speaker election in 2023. That same year, Gomez founded the Congressional Dads Caucus, which has advocated for expanded child tax credits and other parent-friendly legislation.
The disclosure of the congressional investigation comes as Gomez faces a campaign challenge from Angela Gonzales-Torres, a Pasadena City College counselor with the backing of the progressive Justice Democrats.
Gonzales-Torres has criticized Gomez for receiving the backing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, though Gomez has at times taken political stances at odds with the group.
After news of the ethics investigation broke, Gonzales-Torres wrote on the social media platform X, “I take political corruption seriously … I also take very seriously what appears to be a culture in Congress in which men abuse women.
“If @RepJimmyGomez has nothing to hide, he should have no concern. But if there was any criminal behavior that he witnessed, participated in, or helped conceal, we will find out and we will help ensure accountability and justice.”
Gomez was first elected to Congress in a 2017 special election to succeed Xavier Becerra, who is now running for governor and has seen the biggest boost in support following Swalwell’s departure from the race in April.
Gomez previously served in the state assembly from 2012 to 2017 and was political director for the United Nurses Assn. of California before that.
Three Clausen brothers who were quarterbacks — Casey, Rick and Jimmy — have created a fall flag football league for boys and girls in an effort to help youth players learn the game. There also will be six Clausen children playing in the league.
Flag football continues to grow, with the Clausen brothers behind a fall league.
(Los Angeles Times)
Casey is a former head coach at Bishop Alemany. Rick is head coach at Westlake. And Jimmy is a former NFL quarterback.
Casey said the Rising Stars is a 7×7 league that will take place in the fall with focus on rising participation of girls playing. The breakdown of divisions for boys and girls ranges from third grade to eighth grade and will be played on Sundays beginning Aug. 16 at Agoura, Oak Park and Westlake.
Get ready for lots of Clausen cousins, brothers and sisters playing football in the coming years. The oldest is a sixth grader.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Jimmy Kimmel has suggest President Donald Trump should be unemployed amid low ratings and called him a “hypocrite” after the President’s repeated insistence that he be fired
23:12, 01 May 2026Updated 23:14, 01 May 2026
Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live(Image: Jimmy Kimmel Live/Youtube)
Jimmy Kimmel has responded to Donald Trump’s repeated calls for him to be fired from his late night show with a fiery suggestion that if he has to go, so should the President.
Trump has called for Kimmel and his show Jimmy Kimmel Live to be sacked from his ABC late night slot multiple times. The President’s latest demand came after Kimmel made jokes about him and his wife during a sketch about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
He wrote on Truth Social: ““When is ABC Fake News Network firing seriously unfunny Jimmy Kimmel, who incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television? People are angry. It better be soon!!!”
In response, Kimmel used his opening monologue during Thursday’s (30 April) show to hit back. He argued: “If incompetently presiding over not just one of, but the lowest rating in history, is the reason I should be fired we should both be out of a job, because you’re not doing too good either.”
Kimmel also praised Republican politicians Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and James Comer for not following in Trump’s footsteps. “Every one of these guys, I’ve made fun of repeatedly and viciously on this show and you know what not one of them has done? Pressured ABC to fire me.”
He then turned his attention to things Trump has said in the past about “muzzling people you don’t agree with”. After playing a clip of Trump from his presidential campaign, where the future president denounced censorship, Kimmel said: “I’m starting to think Donald Trump might be a hypocrite.”
Kimmel also joked that Trump’s feud with him was “getting crazy” and that they should “come up with a ceasefire”, referencing the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. “I get to keep my job, you get to end your 11th war,” Kimmel said. “What do you say to that? We can help each other.”
Last week, Kimmel hosted an “alternative White House Correspondents’ Dinner” and joked that Melania Trump had the “glow of an expectant widow”. Days later, a gunman tried to storm the event. Following his jokes, the First Lady branded him a “coward” on X. She wrote: “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy – his words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America.”
Kimmel responded to her words on 27 April, saying he was sorry that the President and those at the dinner had to experience something so traumatic. He added that his sketch was light roast and not a “call to assassination”.
“I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject,” Kimmel said. “I do, and I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”
Kimmel was previously in hot water after making remarks about the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, an ally of Mr Trump. He was taken off air.
He returned five days later after his removal sparked criticism from the public, famous faces of the screen and political figures who said it was an infringement of their freedom of speech and the freedom of the press.
Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have had their say on the I’m A Celebrity live final, which descended into chaos when Adam Thomas was crowned champion
10:14, 30 Apr 2026Updated 10:14, 30 Apr 2026
The final descended into chaos(Image: Jonathan Hordle/ITV/Shutterstock)
Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have waded in on the I’m A Celebrity pay row after Jimmy Bullard raged about losing his fee for wanting to quit the show.
Ex footballer Jimmy had said he wanted full pay and that was why he decided to call out ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here’ during a trial rather than in camp sparking a huge row with Adam Thomas. Jimmy said for his own reasons – thought to be his father’s health – he wanted to go home, but because of his contract, he would have to lose a trial rather than ask to leave early.
During an extraordinary moment in the final, Jimmy said: “Listen, Adam and all of you can be upset with me and I absolutely threw him under the bus, I get it and I’ll wear that.
“But what I don’t stand on, is someone being abusive, aggressive and intimidating, I don’t stand on that.” He then called on Ant and Dec to have their say on what happened.
Speaking for the first time in their podcast about the live fallout, Ant and Dec appeared to side with Adam as they suggested he was used as ‘collateral damage’ in Jimmy’s plan.
“Jimmy used Adam as collateral damage,” said Ant. “We tried to be professional and keep it on track. It was a real shame – we were supposed to hear from every person.
“The whole thing was weird to me,” he added. “Which is why I said quite firmly on the night said I disagree.”
Asked on the night why he quit, Jimmy said: “There were a lot of heavy reasons, which I don’t want to go into now. Also, [I told Ollie], can you talk me through my contract? Because my contract’s pro-rata. Let me give you an example, if I go home and call Adam back with me, I get full pay. That money’s big for me and my family.
“If I go home, stay in, and go back and pull the plug, I get a small percentage of that. I made my mind up in that lightbulb moment – I have to go home. Then all hell breaks loose. You can all be upset. I threw him under the bus. I absolutely get it. I’ll wear that. But what I don’t stand on is someone being abusive, aggressive or intimidating. I don’t stand on it. You didn’t show none of that. None of the C-words. You didn’t.”
The pair also clarified what happened between them and David and Jimmy in the car park, which was snapped by paparazzi.
“It was certainly talk about TV, I wouldn’t call it great but anyway we had a laugh and we were cool and then I’ve walked off and seen Jimmy Bullard and I just shook his hand and I was like ‘look after yourself’ and he was like ‘yeah, yeah cheers, cheers, cheers’. So there was no confrontation. I wasn’t flanked by two security guards as it said in the paper.”
Setting the record straight Ant insisted there was no argument in the car park, with Dec adding: “I saw David Haye and he said ‘what about that then, hope you get some good ratings for that one.'”
Ant also added: “I just felt it was a shame the crowning moment of I’m A Celebrity South Africa couldn’t have been more celebratory. If anything, remember it for Craig Charles having a bath in the washing up bowl – that’s how I would remember it.”
ABC late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel explained his controversial joke about First Lady Melania Trump, but declined to apologize for offending her.
On Monday, President Trump repeated his demand that ABC fire the longtime show host over a joke that aired on the L.A.-based “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program two days before the White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner in Washington. Kimmel, who has headlined that event before, staged a pretend roast during his Thursday night broadcast that featured spliced-in footage of Melania Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President Vance and others.
During the bit, a tuxedo-clad Kimmel called the first lady “beautiful,” saying she had “the glow of an expectant widow.” There wasn’t much reaction to Kimmel’s comment at the time, Kimmel said during Monday’s show.
On Saturday, the White House Correspondents’ Assn. gala, to celebrate the 1st Amendment, was interrupted when a gunman sprinted past security at the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held. He did not reach the ballroom. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, has since been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
“There was no big reaction to [the joke] until this morning, when I greeted the day facing yet another Twitter vomit storm and a call to fire me from our first lady,” Kimmel said during Monday night’s telecast.
“Obviously, it was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together,” Kimmel said.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” Kimmel said. “It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassinate. And they know that.”
Kimmel added that he has long been vocal “speaking out against gun violence,.”
Melania Trump, who appeared visibly shaken during the Saturday night scare, expressed her outrage in a social media post earlier Monday.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him.”
Gemma Collins has doubled down on her opinion that David Haye and Jimmy Bullard’s behaviour was ‘disgusting’ in the live I’m A Celebrity final, which crowned Adam Thomas as Jungle Legend
07:17, 27 Apr 2026Updated 07:18, 27 Apr 2026
Jimmy Bullard, Gemma Collins and David Haye
The I’m A Celebrity fallout continues and Gemma Collins isn’t prepared to let it lie. The former Towie favourite is very much Team Adam in the feud between Adam Thomas, David Haye and Jimmy Bullard.
And she has once again hit out at the former sports stars, doubling down that their behaviour in the live final was “disgusting”. The GC reposted claims the duo had been kicked out of the live show and again took aim at the pair.
Referencing the alleged kicking out Gemma wrote: “Good job!” She went on: “Behaviour [sic] was disgusting for rest of cast the right move was made as we all felt so uncomfortable.”
The words echoed Gemma’s statement a day earlier as she once again raged at the pair’s antics. While Jimmy called Adam’s behaviour “intimidating” after the former Fulham player’s decision to quit the show almost cost Adam his place, David has been labelled a “bully”.
David admitted in his exit chat he may have taken the “banter” too far, but Adam says he actions left him “broken”. And Gemma firmly stuck up for her soap star pal.
Tristan then said: “Because someone was bullying Adam.” Gemma went on: “And it was hard to see wasn’t it?. And did it ruin our night? Upset us very much? And what has it taught us in life?
Tristan continued: “Never bully.” As she spoke to her fans, Gemma added: “Adam, it was really difficult to sit there and watch you go through that last night. It was disgusting. And what a shame because we all…I mean the jealousy is real.”
During the live show, Gemma stormed off stage as the heated arguments took place. Ant McPartlin, who initially had tried chatting to the trio about the events, even appeared agitated with how things were playing out.
Body language expert, Judi James, told the Mirror: “You could see the rigid, unhappy and blank poker faces of Gemma [Collins], Scarlett [Moffatt] and Ashley [Roberts] as the lead men continued to steal the spotlight by continuing their arguments during the live final. Gemma, Scarlett and Ashley looked drained and resigned here while the battle for screen time raged about them.”
She added: “When Gemma walked, Ant reached peak anger signals. Dec stopped mirroring him here and it was Ant taking total control as authoritative leader.
“His angry stare suggested this was not an act for the camera, and he stabbed both hands onto his own chest in a gesture that signalled he was in charge before engaging in a pointed finger ‘duel’ with Jimmy. There was one final, stabbing point gesture from Ant that should have warned Jimmy that he needed to stop.”
Body language expert, Judi James, gives her analysis of the battle between the male stars during the clash on the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa live final and she reveals who came out on top
Ant McPartlin was seen embroiled in a heated exchange with Jimmy Bullard(Image: W8)
Male dominance took centre stage as the stars of the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa final battled out their differences during the live final on Friday night. Campmates Jimmy Bullard and David Haye clashed with show hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in tense scenes.
Speaking to the Mirror, leading body language expert Judi James shared her take on the shocking scenes that unfolded onscreen as she admitted seeing the men embroiled in a conflict rooted in a desire to obtain attention and the spotlight. Judi explained: “For this series the winning of that spotlight looked brutal, with arguments being the main form of currency to get attention on the final show here.
“You could see the rigid, unhappy and blank poker faces of Gemma [Collins], Scarlett [Moffatt] and Ashley [Roberts] as the lead men continued to steal the spotlight by continuing their arguments during the live final. Gemma, Scarlett and Ashley looked drained and resigned here while the battle for screen time raged about them.”
Judi also pointed out how Ant appeared to be particularly ‘angry’ as he fought to maintain his “professional authority” in the midst of the chaos. She continued: “And the rage did look real, especially from Ant, whose professional authority as host and as real star of the show with Dec also became compromised, leading to a stand-up spat between Ant and Jimmy.
“Jimmy made this show about him by dominating air time that should have been evenly dispersed. It became the Jimmy show and that appeared to be David’s cue to try to regain some attention by joining in. David’s body language display suggested a strong desire to gain profile interest and power by performing a full splay, throwing his arms out wide in a signature pose from his time in the ring.
“It suggested a desire to hold alpha status in the group too and it prompted Ant and Dec to try to close him down with an authoritative approach and some ‘cancelling’ hand gestures to stop a new conflict.
“At this point we could also see Sinitta vying to gain attention from her end with a raised arm and point. When she walked we could also see how she showboated to the cameras on the way out in an attention fight-back, whereas Gemma just walked out in what looked like genuine frustration.”
Judi then highlighted how one male cast member tried to disassociate himself from the antics of the others as Ant showed his position as the “authoritative leader.” She continued: “In one key moment of conflict we had David splaying, Jimmy standing and Harry Redknapp puffing dramatically and looking down to exit from any connection to the drama.
“When Gemma walked, Ant reached peak anger signals. Dec stopped mirroring him here and it was Ant taking total control as authoritative leader.
“His angry stare suggested this was not an act for the camera, and he stabbed both hands onto his own chest in a gesture that signalled he was in charge before engaging in a pointed finger ‘duel’ with Jimmy. There was one final, stabbing point gesture from Ant that should have warned Jimmy that he needed to stop.”
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A row soon ensued when Jimmy accused Adam of being “abusive, aggressive and intimidating”. He then asked what hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly thought of what happened, but Jimmy wasn’t happy with Ant’s response.
“He wanted everyone to see the shocking unedited version of the fight. Adam swore at him multiple times and most bystanders were shocked by his actions so Jimmy felt it was the last chance for viewers to see the full extent of his behaviour,” a source said.
“He was hugely disappointed in Ant and Dec for appearing to take Adam’s side and feels like he has been made a scapegoat. “Jimmy isn’t an angry person but he will stand up for what’s right.”
Jimmy was also said to be disappointed that Gemma Collins appeared to back Adam during the show.
The source told The Sun: “He was also disappointed his show buddy Gemma sided with Adam despite not even being present during their row. He thinks it feels performative on her part.
“He is talking to lawyers and looking into his ITV contract to see what grounds there are to sue.”
A spokesman for ITV said: “We showed an accurate and fair representation of events.”
Gemma doubled down on her comments on Instagram this morning, where she praised Adam. She wrote: “THE WINNER @adamthomas21. What a show up !!! Absolutely disgusted with jimmy and David’s behaviour the biggest show up in tv history !!! What an EMBARRASSMENT !
“To all the took part in the show it was a discredit to the production crew cast Ant and Dec biggest disrespect ever !!! Last night was meant to be a celebration instead it was very upsetting !! X Let’s hope Adam will find some energy to absorb his victory ! X”
During last night’s episode, Jimmy said: “Listen, Adam and all of you can be upset with me and I absolutely threw him under the bus, I get it and I’ll wear that. But what I don’t stand on, is someone being abusive, aggressive and intimidating, I don’t stand on that.” He then asked Ant and Dec – who were hosting the show – to share their opinions.
“You [Ant and Dec] were there and you didn’t show any of that footage. You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty,” Jimmy told them. Ant then argued back: “The reason we didn’t air the C-bomb is because that is unbroadcastable. I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating. I was there Jim.”
Adam then said: “I take full responsibility for my actions and yes emotions were definitely running high in that moment. I have nothing but love for Jimmy in that moment. I have apologised to Jimmy on numerous occasions and I do take everything that he is saying into account and the only thing I can do is apologise.
“That is not how I want to show myself off and I have never shown myself off like that before or after that. I do apologise Jimmy.”
Jimmy Bullard took Adam Thomas to task over their I’m A Celebrity row, which he claims was a lot longer and much more expletive ridden than was aired
09:57, 25 Apr 2026Updated 09:58, 25 Apr 2026
Jimmy Bullard spoke out(Image: ITV)
Jimmy Bullard ranted at Adam Thomas over their I’m A Celebrity spat during the live final last night.
In extraordinary live television, Jimmy had explained what really happened with the row between him and Adam over the Rancid Run trial. He said he had told everyone he planned to leave – after the trial was changed from collecting stars to staying in the competition.
He had said for his own reasons – thought to be his father’s health – he wanted to go home, but because of his contract, he would have to quit a certain way or he wouldn’t receive his full fee.
During an extraordinary moment last night, Jimmy said: “Listen, Adam and all of you can be upset with me and I absolutely threw him under the bus, I get it and I’ll wear that.
“But what I don’t stand on, is someone being abusive, aggressive and intimidating, I don’t stand on that.” He then asked Ant and Dec – who were hosting the show – to share their opinions.
“You [Ant and Dec] were there and you didn’t show any of that footage. You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty,” Jimmy told them. Ant then argued back: “The reason we didn’t air the C-bomb is because that is unbroadcastable. I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating. I was there Jim.”
David Haye then stepped in to back Jimmy over Adam, who was sat in front of him. Adam then stepped in to say: “Let the finalists speak,” as he was cheered on by the audience.
Adam then said: “I take full responsibility for my actions and yes emotions were definitely running high in that moment. I have nothing but love for Jimmy in that moment. I have apologised to Jimmy on numerous occasions and I do take everything that he is saying into account and the only thing I can do is apologise.
“That is not how I want to show myself off and I have never shown myself off like that before or after that. I do apologise Jimmy.”
David then said: “Funny way of showing it,” as Ant and Dec stopped him from speaking.
“I like to say how I see it, I like to keep it real and what I have seen is a lot of editing to make this poor guy [Adam] the victim so the people will support him,” David continued to say, as boos filled the audience, “We all had banter back and forth, a lot of it was cut out from their side. But I think it is time for the truth.”
Sinitta then stormed off stage as she told the audience: “Guys, you weren’t there, I was there and it was aggressive and abusive, we were shaking.” Gemma, who is a support for Adam, also walked off the stage.
“You can’t be aggressive, abusive and intimating, it doesn’t matter if Adam said sorry. I will not take you [Ant] saying it wasn’t aggressive, abusive and intimating, you can’t say that. Show it, let everyone watch it, let’s play it now!” Jimmy said.
Ant and Dec then closed things off, saying: “Right, let’s leave it there. We’ll agree to disagree Jim.”
Jimmy Bullard, described as “a massive joker”, is set to reunite with Adam Thomas for the live I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here finale months after that bust-up
Jimmy Bullard has caused a stir on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here… South Africa(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
ITV bosses are understood to be nervously counting down to the reunion amid uncertainty over what might unfold between Bullard and Thomas, whose bust-up in scenes that aired this week was described as the programme’s biggest ever row. It is reported Bullard, 47, remains “seething” over the argument, which happened several months ago as the I’m a Celeb spin-off is pre-recorded until the final.
But sources believe the former professional footballer is ready to give his version of events tonight. One insider said: “Jimmy is a larger-than-life character with a wicked sense of humour and will be revelling in the opportunity to make everyone sweat.
“He’s a massive joker, so they don’t know what he’s going to say or do in the live final. He is also not afraid to say exactly what he thinks — and that means he won’t be toeing ITV’s line… It’s the ultimate sweet revenge.”
I’m A Celeb: Adam confronts Jimmy after he backs out of trial
Adam, an actor who is in Waterloo Road, and Jimmy clashed on the show as they teamed up for a Bushtucker Trial which would end with the losing duo being sent home. Former Fulham midfielder Jimmy quit the challenge and, in an angry confrontation, Adam raged at him: “You’re taking the p***!”
Campmates, including Harry Redknapp and Craig Charles, will now gather for the last time in tonight’s programme. Despite the row, Adam was allowed to remain in the camp and so battles to win the competition tonight.
But it will be the first time the former Emmerdale star comes face to face with his rival since the bitter spat, recorded last autumn. It was unclear whether dad-of-two Jimmy would attend the series finale because he remains so furious over the edit of his dramatic clash with Adam. Boxer and fellow campmate David Haye had said in an interview: “It was a lot more intense.”
ITV, though, insists what viewers saw was an accurate and fair representation of events. It also denied wild claims Adam attempted to kick Jimmy. A spokesperson had told the Mirror: “This is categorically not true. Adam did not try to kick Jimmy.”
While Adam, from Manchester, was visibly angry over Jimmy’s decision and he did kick a door in the trial area, it was said to be “nowhere near” his co-star, and was included in the broadcast this week.
