Jack Maynard has been pictured for the first time since being axed from I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! amid claims of historic racist tweets and inappropriate behaviour towards an underage girl when he was 16-years old.
The YouTube star, who has now shared a video apology, was spotted visiting a London supermarket on Friday where he picked up some groceries and checked out the magazine section – no doubt catching up on the coverage of his actions.
The disgraced 23-year-old kept a low profile during his outing, pulling his hood up over his head in a bid to go incognito.
First sighting: Jack Maynard has been pictured for the first time since being axed from I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
In the news: The star was checking out the magazine section – no doubt catching up on the coverage of his actions
Jack was casually clad, wearing a baseball cap pulled low of his face upon his return to the UK.
The social media sensation was also seen flashing a coy smile as he checked his phone while walking along.
Hours earlier, Jack had broken his silence about the historic text exchange with an underage girl, as well a series of old tweets featuring homophobic and racist slurs.
Low profile: Jack was casually clad, wearing a baseball cap pulled low of his face upon his return to the UK
Hours earlier, Jack had broken his silence about the historic text exchange with an underage girl, as well a series of old tweets featuring homophobic and racist slurs.
Checking in: The social media sensation was also seen flashing a coy smile as he checked his phone while walking along
Speaking out: Hours earlier, Jack had broken his silence about the historic text exchange with an underage girl, as well a series of old tweets featuring homophobic and racist slurs
In a video titled ‘My Explanation’ and posted on Thursday evening, he said: ‘I’m sorry to anyone that I upset, anyone that I offended, anyone I made feel uncomfortable.
‘Growing up I was all over social, my entire life was on social media and through that it led to be my job. I’ve tweeted some bad things, some horrible things, some pretty disgusting things that I’m just ashamed of.
‘I never wanted to make anything like this, I feel like I’ve let you guys down so much, I was young, I was stupid, I was careless, I just wasn’t thinking.
‘This was back when I just left school and I don’t know what I was thinking. I was stupid, I said some really inconsiderate things.’
Upset: Addressing subscribers to his hugely popular YouTube channel, the apologetic 23-year old addressed the historic text exchange, as well a series of historic tweets featuring homophobic and racist slurs
And Jack – the younger brother of singer Conor Maynard – urged his young fans not to make the “same mistakes” he had.
He said: ‘Growing up online is hard and I just beg that you don’t make the same mistakes as I did.
‘I was young back then, I had nothing, I wasn’t doing anything, and that’s not an excuse whatsoever.’
Apologetic: In a video posted on Thursday evening, he said, ‘I’m sorry to anyone that I upset, anyone that I offended, anyone I made feel uncomfortable’
The YouTuber then became emotional as he said: ‘I’m so gutted and I’m embarrassed, I’m so embarrassed that all of this has happened now.’
He went on to thank his fans for their support, adding: ‘You’ve constantly had my back. The support I’ve seen online from all of you is so overwhelming, so I want to thank you all for that.’
Jack’s agent made the decision to pull him out of the show this week after a number of tweets posted online five years ago containing racist remarks resurfaced.
It has now been claimed by The Sun that Jack could lose up to £20,000 a month in lucrative sponsored deals from high street brands.
Tearful: The YouTuber then became emotional as he said, ‘I’m so gutted and I’m embarrassed, I’m so embarrassed that all of this has happened now’
Big companies including The Body Shop, Walkers and Snickers are said to be cutting off support for the viral star, while his contracts with Cadbury, Puma, Nike, Schwarzkopf and LG are reported to be under threat.
A spokesperson previously explained in a statement: ‘In the last few days Jack has been the subject of a succession of media stories which, 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 to.
‘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.’
Tribute: He went on to thank his fans for their support following his axe from reality show I’m A Celebrity… Get me Out Of Here!
The social media star faced further criticism after video footage of the star attempting to guess the age of a teenage girl resurfaced.
The viral clip, filmed for his YouTube channel in September – shortly before his short-lived appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – captures Jack as he engages in the guessing game with pop star brother Conor, 25, and fellow vlogger Mikey Pearce.
After checking a photo of a young female fan, all three attempt to guess her age, with Mikey playing the game for laughs by telling the brothers she’s six, before Conor opts for 15.
Controversial: Shamed social media sensation Jack faced further criticism after video footage of the star attempting to guess the age of a teenage girl resurfaced
But it is Jack, whose appearance on the ITV reality show been cut short amid claims of inappropriate behaviour towards a young girl, who guesses correctly, telling the group: ‘I think she’s literally 14-years old.’
Upon hearing he has won the game, the social media star raises his arm in triumph before they move on to another girl’s picture.
Jack – who has an online following of 1,195,687 – faces claims he called a 14-year-old Facebook user an ‘an ugly freak’ when she repeatedly declined, in 2011.
The accusations have been made by The Mirror on Wednesday, one day after he was ejected from the Australian jungle and sent back to the UK without a televised goodbye, or his £25,000 fee – where he is said to have ‘sneaked back home on his 23rd birthday’ after going into ‘hiding’ – The Sun reports.
YouTube challenge: The viral clip captures the 23-year old as he engages in the guessing game with pop star brother Conor, 25, and fellow vlogger Mikey Pearce
Guessing game: After checking a photo of a young female fan, all three attempt to guess her age, with Mikey playing the game for laughs by telling the brothers she’s six, before Conor opts for 15
Screengrabs from the private messaging service published by the newspaper appear to show online sensation Jack hounding the teen – whose age may not have been known to the YouTuber at the time.
A representative for Jack Maynard has been contacted for clarification.
Jack, who has since deleted his Facebook account, is accused of writing to the girl: ‘Your boobs are so nice! would look good in a bra shot! ever taken one?’
She responds: ‘Secrets are kept secrets…’ but he persists, saying: ‘You can tell me babe…’
Winner: But it is Jack, whose appearance on the ITV reality show been cut short amid claims of inappropriate behaviour towards a young girl, who guesses correctly
Triumphant: The social media star lifts his arm victoriously after winning the game
He tries to convince the user that he works as a ‘stylist’, but when she refuses twice more, he replies: ‘You’re a bore’.
She then seemed to insult the vlogger by saying: ‘You’re like… A guy’s brother from YouTube’.
Closing the conversation, jilted Jack is seen to reply: ‘Who the f*** even are you? You’re an ugly freak.’
Online following: Following his surprise removal from I’m A Celebrity, YouTube sensation Jack Maynard has been accused of asking a 14-year-old fan for pictures in her bra in a resurfaced messaging exchange from when he was 17 years old
Kicked out: Jack faces claims that he called the teen an ‘ugly freak’ when he jilted her, in screengrabs of their deleted messages
Axed: Jack was removed from the ITV show on Tuesday and sent straight home to the UK from Australia, it’s believed
Pictured: An illustration (above) shows the conversation believed to have been shared between Jack and the Facebook user
The first suggestion of ‘inappropriate messages’ Jack sent to a fan were revealed on Tuesday, just hours after his immediate exit from the ITV show was confirmed.
The woman, who wants to remain unidentified and is now aged 20, has spoken out about the messages she exchanged with Jack and claimed the star had been ‘harmlessly flirting’ with her, but she found his persistence ‘rude and annoying’.
Persistent: The Mirror published screengrabs of the messages they claim originally came from Jack (as illustrated above) and show him persistently asking for private pictures
The woman, who wants to remain unidentified and is now aged 20, has spoken out about the messages she exchanged with Jack and claimed the star had been ‘harmlessly flirting’ with her, but she found his persistence ‘rude and annoying’.
She told the publication: ‘I saw it as relatively harmless flirting given the small age gap. He was very immature then, very rude.
‘I don’t think he was aware I was younger than him. He was just a bit of a d**khead back then… The thing that most upset me about the messages was when he turned on me – I didn’t see any need for that at all. I’m glad I didn’t send anything.’
She then added to The Sun: ‘I never once felt harassed. We were kids, it’s not once harmed me at all in any way. It’s in the past. It is a serious allegation to make, but you’re a kid, you make mistakes.’
Jack has now flown to the UK, and spent Thursday – the day of his 23rd birthday – returning to his Brighton home.
Jack – the younger brother of British pop sensation Conor Maynard, 25 – has already apologised for resurfaced tweets that saw him using the N-word and homophobic slurs.
Shame: Jack (centre) previously apologised for repeatedly using the n-word and homophobic slurs in historic tweets (pictured above on I’m A Celebrity)
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 nor 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.
It was explained that Jack agreed to being pulled out of the show in order to defend himself.
It is thought Jack would have been bundled out of the camp without his co-stars’ knowledge, after being informed he would be leaving by producers in the Bush Telegraph.
The YouTuber still appears in the show’s opening credits, however, which did not go unnoticed by fans.
An I’m A Celebrity spokesperson said on Tuesday: ‘Due to circumstances outside camp Jack has had to withdraw from the show.’
Confirmed: During Tuesday episode, presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly confirmed the news (pictured)
Confused: Fans were shocked to see Jack still featured in the opening credits for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! despite being removed from the show
His representative’s statement went onto say: ‘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 [to recent claims].
‘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.’
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 with Georgia Toffolo) was pulled out of the Australian jungle but his goodbyes were not aired
It is also being reported that Jack will miss out on his £25,000 fee due to an ‘unwritten rule’ which states celebrities must remain in the jungle for 72 hours in order to receive it.
The likes of Gemma Collins, who quit early on in the 2014, have also fallen victim to the same rule.
TOWIE star Gemma reportedly received only £4,800 by ITV after being in the jungle for just over 72 hours, and ended up giving the money to charity.
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)
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’
The decision was said to be made last minute, with a show insider revealing that bosses agonised over it until just a few hours before the show was due to air.
Jack apologised over the weekend 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.
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
A statement at the time 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.’
Reports are now claiming Jack’s lucrative career, that sees him earn £15,000 a month due to advertising – according to Daily Star, is under ‘serious threat’.
He has also presented for Capital FM, with the radio station stating they have ‘not yet made a decision’ on whether he will return in the future.
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.
Jack’s Facebook page – which is linked to his popular YouTube account – now appears to have been deleted.
A ‘content unavailable’ message flashes up when you try to access the page, which could have been temporarily deactivated.
Siblings: Jack is the younger brother of singer Conor Maynard (seen above in 2016)