Hollie said she felt ‘ashamed’ (Picture: Rex)
Former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star Hollie Arnold has opened up about being attacked by trolls after her stint on the show.
The Paralympian featured on the 2020 edition of ITV’s juggernaut programme, which was set in a Welsh castle rather than the Australian jungle due to the pandemic
The 28-year-old, who camped alongside the likes of Sir Mo Farah, Giovanna Fletcher and Jordan North, was the first celeb to be voted off by the public.
Reflecting on her experience at the time to Metro.co.uk, Hollie explained that she was ‘upset’ by comments on social media about her MBE status.
The athlete was joked about by presenters Ant and Dec on the long-running reality show after referring to herself as ‘Hollie Arnold MBE’, with Ant at one point calling himself ‘Ant McPartin, OBE’.
Hollie said: ‘I received so much abuse and read all of this horrible nonsense online.
‘People thought I was above myself but I’m literally the most chilled and laidback person ever.’
Hollie was the first to leave the show (Picture: Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX)
She told The Sun: ‘Ant and Dec made that even worse and played on it, I got so much hate from people who didn’t know me.
‘It got to the point where I took my MBE title off Instagram because it made me feel so ashamed.’
When asked if the two Geordie hosts had apologised for their comments, she replied: ‘No, I haven’t.
Hollie said she received abuse from trolls (Picture: ITV/REX)
‘You know that you are “fair game” on the show but it would have been better if they said, “She didn’t mean it like that”’.
‘Unfortunately, when you go on these shows you expose yourself and online trolls are very hurtful.’
Hollie said Ant and Dec haven’t apologised for the jokes (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Hollie’s remarks come after the first week of this year’s I’m A Celebrity, which controversially stars Matt Hancock, as well as Boy George and Mike Tindall.
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The public so far have voted for the disgraced former health secretary to participate in six consecutive Bushtucker Trials, with the bookies tipping the politician to be the first to leave the jungle.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Ant and Dec’s reps for comment.
I’m A Celebrity continues tonight on ITV at 9.15pm.
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Hollie was in the 2020 edition of the ITV series.
