who won im a celebrity 2026 was answered in a dramatic live final on Friday, April 24 ET, when Adam Thomas was named the winner of the South Africa-set all-star series. The result came after a tense broadcast from a London studio, where arguments from earlier in the run spilled back into the spotlight. Thomas beat Craig Charles, Sir Mo Farah, and Harry Redknapp to the public vote.
Live Final Ends With Adam Thomas On Top
The final hour was marked by fresh tension as Thomas faced David Haye and Jimmy Bullard over events that had already shaken the camp. The live segment featured heated exchanges, and at one point Sinitta and Gemma Collins walked off the set. Even so, Thomas came through to win the vote and take the title in the latest all-star edition of the series.
The show had already been building toward that outcome for days. Thomas, 37, spent the series in the middle of several flashpoints, including a confrontation with Haye and a major row with Bullard after a trial in which the losing duo would have been eliminated. When Bullard quit the challenge, Thomas reacted angrily, believing he too would be forced out.
Why The Final Turned So Tense
In the middle of the live final, the argument between Thomas and Bullard was revisited, with both men giving their versions of what happened. The mood remained fraught, and the atmosphere on set reflected how unsettled the series had become by the end. That tension fed directly into the conversation around who won im a celebrity 2026, because the final result came after a series built on conflict as much as competition.
Thomas was eventually allowed to remain after the other campmates were given the choice and unanimously backed him. That decision kept him in the game and set up the final run that ended with victory in London.
Reactions After The Win
After the result, Ashley Roberts offered a sobering view of Thomas’s mood, saying she hoped he could take a moment to enjoy the win because she felt he may not believe he deserves it. Scarlett Moffatt pushed back on that thought, saying Thomas did deserve the title and describing him as a friend to the group. Gemma Collins also backed the result, saying the best man won and calling the final night positive despite the negativity around it.
Thomas himself said on Sunday that the experience was one of the toughest things he had ever been through physically, mentally, and emotionally. He also said living with psoriatic arthritis took a toll while he was in the show, and added that he had moved on after an apology from Haye.
What The Series Leaves Behind
The South Africa spin-off brought back former contestants for a second series and ended with a winner who had already faced major setbacks in the regular show years earlier. Thomas had finished third in 2016, but this time he returned to the jungle and came out on top after a series defined by pressure, public scrutiny, and repeated clashes.
For viewers still asking who won im a celebrity 2026, the answer is now clear: Adam Thomas. The final chapter may be closed, but the fallout from the live broadcast and the emotions around his victory are likely to keep driving conversation for days.
