Jack Maynard has jetted home from Australia less than 24 hours after ITV bosses decided to remove the star from I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Three days into the 2017 series, the 22-year-old vlogger was axed from the jungle show in Australia, after resurfaced tweets that saw him using the N-word and homophobic slurs.
Jack – the younger brother of British pop sensation Conor Maynard, 25 – has subsequently been accused of sending ‘inappropriate messages to a female fan’ by The Mirror.
Axed: I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here star Jack Maynard has been removed from the ITV show, it was confirmed on Tuesday
Jack appeared in Tuesday night’s episode as part of footage from Monday in camp, but presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly later confirmed to audiences that he would no longer take part, and neither his exit or goodbyes were aired.
It is believed that he was then ferried to a boutique hotel on Hope Island for a chat with show bosses and advisers, before heading home quickly in order to avoid speaking to the Australian press.
An I’m A Celebrity spokesperson said on Tuesday: ‘Due to circumstances outside camp Jack has had to withdraw from the show.’
Early on Wednesday morning, The Mirror alleged that Jack had been removed for further questioning about messages her sent to a female fan’.
Though this was not explicitly referenced in a statement from Jack’s representatives on Tuesday night, it was explained that Jack agreed to being pulled out to defend himself.
Shame: Jack (centre) came under fire on Sunday after it was revealed he had repeatedly used the n-word and homophobic slurs in historic tweets – after which his representatives insisted he was ‘ashamed’ (pictured above on I’m A Celebrity)
His final morning: Jack (shown on Tuesday night’s I’m A Celebrity) was pulled out of the Australian jungle but his goodbyes were not aired
Confirmed: During Tuesday episode, presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly confirmed the news (pictured)
MailOnline has gone back to Jack’s representatives for clarification on the latest allegations.
The statement reads: ‘In the last few days Jack Maynard has been the subject of a succession of stories.
‘Given his position as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – filmed in the Australian jungle, with no contact with the outside world, he has been unable to respond.
Offensive: In one tweet from 2011, Jack appeared to reference French people in an offensive fashion
Irate: In response to a tweet (here from 2012) about Jack’s older brother Conor (above), Jack called someone a ‘ret*****d f*****’
Racist: In another, from 2012, he referred to a group of friends as ‘n******’
His final morning: Jack (shown on Tuesday night’s I’m A Celebrity, here with Georgia Toffolo) has agreed to come out in order to defend himself
‘Since it is only fair that everyone should be aware of any allegations made against them and should also have the right to defend themselves, it was agreed that it would be better to bring him out of the show.
‘Jack agrees with this decision which was made by his representatives and ITV and thanks everyone who has supported him in the show this far.’
It has not yet been revealed if Jack will be allowed to keep his fee for taking part in the ITV show.
X-rated: In the latest of a string of stories about the vlogger, it was claimed on Tuesday that X-rated images have emerged online
Jungle shower: The second snap reportedly shows Jack in a bathroom with his joggers pulled down to his knees with the photo taken on his camera phone (here with fellow contestants Jamie Lomas, left, and Amir Khan right)
The decision was said to be made last minute, with a show insider revealing that bosses agonised over until just a few hours before the show was due to air.
A source told The Mirror: ‘Producers were locked in crisis talks for hours.
‘ITV bosses were forced into a tense conversation about whether to kick out Jack. And they finally decided they had no choice but to let him go from the show.’
Apology: The tweets show the star casually using the racist term n*****, as well as calling fellow social media users by the homophobic slur f***** and ‘retarded’
Jack apologised and said he was ‘ashamed’ after it was revealed he had repeatedly used the n-word and homophobic slurs in tweets posted between 2011-2013.
Jack previously came under fire on Sunday after it was revealed he had repeatedly used the n-word and homophobic slurs in historic tweets – after which his representatives insisted he was ‘ashamed’.
The tweets, obtained by one newspaper, show the star casually using the racist term ‘n*****’, as well as calling fellow social media users by the homophobic slur ‘f*****’ and ‘ret*****d’.
The Sun alleges that Jack posted photos of people with facial deformities with comments such as ‘in his prime’ and ‘Ahahahaha! Sooo funny!’
‘Ashamed’: A spokeswoman for Jack told MailOnline the reality star was apologetic and ashamed of his actions, saying: ‘Jack is ashamed of what he said in these tweets, many of which were deleted a long time ago and were sent in response to a neighbour who was bullying him
Jack told MailOnline the reality star was apologetic and ashamed of his actions.
The statement read: ‘Jack is ashamed of what he said in these tweets, many of which were deleted a long time ago and were sent in response to a neighbour who was bullying him.
‘Jack was a lot younger when he posted them in 2012 but realises that age is no defence.
‘He would never use that language now and realises that, as someone who was bullied himself, this kind of retaliatory, inflammatory, insulting language is completely unacceptable.’
An ITV spokeswoman told the website: ‘Jack has issued a full apology and has deleted the tweets that he sent.’
Delete: An ITV spokeswoman told the website: ‘Jack has issued a full apology and has deleted the tweets that he sent’
He ignited yet more controversy on Monday night when it was claimed that two naked photos had been leaked online.
The Sun reported that one of the X-rated images, taken on Snapchat, shows the 22-year-old vlogger smiling and wearing only a hat in a bedroom, while giving the thumbs up.
It was alleged to have been jokingly shared between his friends before appearing online. The second snap reportedly shows Jack in a bathroom with his joggers pulled down to his knees with the photo taken on his camera phone.
Boasting a whopping 1,195,687 subscribers, Jack is the first vlogger to enter the celebrity jungle.
Siblings: Jack is the younger brother of singer Conor Maynard (seen above in 2016)