Nicola McLean accuses David Van Day of improper sexual behaviour on live TV in I’m A Celebrity jungle – and says ‘nobody batted an eyelid’
NICOLA McLean has accused David Van Day of improper sexual behaviour towards her on live TV in the I'm A Celebrity jungle - and says nobody batted an eye lid.
The former glamour model claims the veteran pop star horrified her with his sexual advances and it was all caught on camera.
The pair entered I'm A Celebrity together back in 2008 and immediately became arch-enemies as they clashed constantly throughout their time in the jungle.
Nicola has decided to speak out now and opened up to The Sun Online exclusively about the moment David appeared to try to grope her and tried to kiss her onscreen.
The incident was filmed as part of a show challenge which showed them stripped to swimwear to wash a car - and the Dollar star was seen grabbing her and pressing his lips against hers.
He also smacked her bum and touched her tummy in the waterfall shower - and Nicola believes that he tried to take advantage of her because of her glamour modelling past.
She told us: "I was washing a car but he thought it was appropriate to spank my bum and try to kiss me.
"His behaviour was very strange and made me feel so uncomfortable - I'd gone from arguing non-stop with this man who was old enough to be my father - to have his hands on my body when I was wearing my bikini.
"It was very sexually inappropriate. He even said 'I'm a hot blooded male and I can see two things I like'."
Nicola felt "uncomfortable" about his behaviour towards her during the challenge, but did not speak out at the time as she feared being branded a drama queen.
Nicola, 36, is now convinced he should have been kicked off the show for what he did.
She added: "I felt like I couldn't say anything because if I'd said I felt vulnerable and didn't like it, people would have thought I was being dramatic but would you like to go to work and have an old man put his hands on you?
"It was wrong and he should have been kicked out...
"If David Van Day had done what he did to me to someone who wasn't a glamour model, there would have been uproar.
"I think there was an element of 'oh she gets her boobs out for a living so I can do what I want.'"
The mum-of-two, who was engaged at the time of the incident, reveals show bosses spoke to her about it, but David remained in the competition.
She added: "The bosses called me in straight away and asked me about it.
"They did ask me if I felt David should be removed... I was grateful they could see I was uncomfortable and made sure I was OK.
"I was only 26 and I thought I'd just put up with it. I wouldn't do that now though... I was worried about work and whether people would hire me again - I didn't want to cause a fuss - but really I should have thought 'fuck it, I don't care if I never work in TV again - I shouldn't let a man twice my age act inappropriate with me'."
She went on to reveal that David seemed aware of how much his actions Affected her and even suggested they could be the new "Katie and Peter".
It was a reference to former jungle co-stars Katie Price and Peter Andre, who got together after meeting on the show and later married and had two kids together.
In unrelated comments, Nicola spoke out in the aftermath of the Hollywood sex scandal involving disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and goes on to reveal she also suffered a incident involving a big shot TV boss, but did not name the man involved.
She added: "It happened with a TV Exec who sent me flirty messages and propositioned me.
"If you did tell him to stop I wouldn't get work again. It was completely inappropriate and it was so awkward.
"We had gone for a business dinner and he'd try to kiss me after and sent loads of text messages - really inappropriate things for a married man to send a married woman."
She hopes the Weinstein scandal, which prompted many women in Hollywood to speak out about sexual abuse, will have the same effect on the British TV industry as she is convinced there are many more horrifying stories yet to come out.
She added: "More people are speaking out now about harassment and abuse - people who didn't have a voice now have a voice.
"What was happening in Hollywood is absolutely disgusting and that's all coming out now and it's been happening for years."
Weinstein has been accused of attacking a number of leading ladies and co-workers, and he was subsequently booted from his own film company and his wife, designer Georgina Chapman, left him.
He said in a statement after allegations began to emerge: "I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it.
“Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.”
The Sun Online has approached David for comment, but he did not respond.
