The BBC Radio 1 colleagues clashed back at the hotel.
Those watching the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! reunion show last night were left raging after one contestant decided to reignite a feud, weeks after he had been voted out of the camp.
Dean McCullough was one of this year’s most divisive campmates, clashing with his fellow stars on more than one occasion over seemingly insignificant things.
Perhaps his most memorable run-in of his time in the jungle was with someone he shares a workplace with, fellow BBC Radio 1 presenter Melvin Odoom.
Both were assigned the chore of collecting water, but Melvin found himself carrying out the task on his own with Dean nowhere to be seen.
The 32-year-old from Northern Ireland was jokingly branded ‘Houdeani’ by Melvin in a nod to how he always seemed to vanish when jobs needed doing.
While others in camp found it a clever little play on words, McCullough failed to see the funny side of the nickname.
During last night’s coming out show, Melvin caught up with Dean and straight away started joking about how minor moments in camp were blown out of proportion online by viewers.
“I love how the whole Houdeani thing popped off, like, the memes were brilliant,” Dean said.
Melvin added: “I don’t think people realise why that happened. I was busy doing the water and I just wanted you to help.
“I was thinking, I’m just gonna drop this line, with half the camp there, make everyone laugh…”
Dean then seemed to change his tune: “That upset me.”
“If I’m trying to give someone a message, I always use humour,” Melvin responded calmly. “That’s my number one way of communicating with people, that’s essentially my weapon, and that’s all that was.”
Firing back, Dean said: “I saw Bush Telegraphs of you saying, ‘Oh, it’s another chore to ask Dean to do the chores.’ And I was like, ‘my guy’s not coming and talking to me?”
Melvin assured Dean that there wasn’t any malice intended in the Houdeani nickname, as it was simply his way of communicating that he needed help.
“But just take me to the side?”, Dean suggested.
“It’s a minor [thing], don’t worry about it, Dean,” Melvin replied. “It’s nothing!”
“Tell that to the papers,” Dean said sarcastically.
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Several people voiced their anger at Dean on X, with one user writing: “Can’t think Dean has done himself any favours there. if he’d apologised for doing nothing and had a laugh about the Houdini nickname he might’ve come off better.. instead he’s obsessing over the press.”
“Dean should be apologising to Melvin for skiving off the chores instead of trying to make out Melvin was in the wrong for calling him Houdini. Grow up Dean,” another commented.
