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<\/p>\nTelevision presenter Joel Dommett has found himself at the centre of controversy following an ill-judged remark during the ITV2 programme I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Unpacked on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old comedian, who co-presents the spin-off programme alongside Kemi Rodgers, made a shocking comment about “shanking” whilst discussing confectionery with his fellow hosts.<\/p>\n
The incident unfolded as the panel debated campmate Ruby Wax’s decision to keep a packet of Liquorice Allsorts for herself rather than sharing with fellow contestants.<\/p>\n
Mr Dommett’s remark, “If someone stole my Haribo, I’d shank them”, immediately drew criticism from Declan Donnelly, who was appearing on the programme alongside his presenting partner Ant McPartlin.<\/p>\n
I’m A Celebrity: Dec Donnelly told Joel Dommett he had ‘overstepped the mark’<\/p>\n
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ITV<\/p>\n
The 50-year-old I’m A Celebrity host swiftly intervened, telling Mr Dommett he had “overstepped the mark”.<\/p>\n
His criticism came after Mr Dommett immediately questioned whether his language was appropriate for television, asking: “Is that alright to say on telly? Is that too much?”<\/p>\n
Mr Donnelly’s response was unequivocal: “It was a little too much, you’ve overstepped the mark”, he replied, prompting an instant apology from the Unpacked presenter.<\/p>\n
The controversial moment occurred during a discussion about the jungle celebrities receiving packets of sweets as treats.<\/p>\n
\nComedy veteran Ruby Wax had chosen to retain her Liquorice Allsorts rather than share them with other campmates, which sparked the panel’s conversation.<\/p>\n
The term “shank” is widely recognised as street slang for stabbing, making Mr Dommett’s casual use of the word particularly jarring for viewers and his co-hosts alike.<\/p>\n
Following the broadcast, Mr Dommett released a comprehensive statement addressing the incident.<\/p>\n
“I would like to once again apologise to anyone offended by the language used in Tuesday’s show,” he stated.<\/p>\n
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Joel Dommett issued an apology for his language<\/p>\n
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ITV<\/p>\n
The presenter emphasised that he recognised his mistake immediately and had apologised whilst still on air.<\/p>\n
“This was not a pre-written joke and I would never make light of such a serious issue as knife crime,” Dommett clarified in his statement.<\/p>\n
ITV also responded to the controversy with their own apology, explaining: “We would apologise to anyone offended by the language used in Tuesday’s show.”<\/p>\n
The broadcaster acknowledged that Dommett had recognised his “unfortunate choice of language” during the live broadcast and had apologised to viewers immediately.<\/p>\n
The controversy prompted responses from anti-knife crime campaigners who stressed the gravity of the issue.<\/p>\n
Patrick Green, chief executive of The Ben Kinsella Trust, acknowledged that whilst Dommett likely didn’t intend to cause offence, his comments highlighted how knife crime terminology has permeated everyday language.<\/p>\n
\n“Knife crime is not a trivial matter — it takes young lives and leaves families and communities devastated,” Green stated.<\/p>\n
Martin Crosser, whose son Charlie was fatally stabbed at a party in 2023, spoke powerfully about the reality behind such casual language.<\/p>\n
He told The Sun: “Charlie died by losing every milligram of blood in his body – a ruptured bowel, ruptured spleen, he’d been stabbed in the heart.”<\/p>\n
“There’s nothing to joke about with knife crime. There really isn’t,” Mr Crosser emphasised.<\/p>\n