The full story of Channel 10’s desperate scramble to find a replacement for Pete Evans on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! has finally been revealed.
The disgraced chef, 47, was all set to enter the ‘jungle’ camp in Murwillumbah in November when he posted a neo-Nazi meme to Facebook, leading to an advertiser boycott that forced the network to tear up Evans’ contract.
Channel 10 was left in an awkward position because trailers had already promoted the appearance of a ‘celebrity chef’, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Boned: The full story of Channel 10’s desperate scramble to find a replacement for Pete Evans (pictured) on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! has finally been revealed
As the neo-Nazi scandal escalated, TV executives dragged Evans into a ‘crisis meeting’, where he was given his marching orders.
His fee was reportedly in the neighbourhood of $40,000, but he didn’t see a cent of it.
Producers then decided to call up Colin Fassnidge, the Irish chef who previously starred alongside Evans on Channel Seven’s My Kitchen Rules.
But they were unable to lock him in for the show’s launch and spent about a week negotiating his contract. As a result, Colin will debut on the show as an ‘intruder’.
Change of plans: The disgraced chef, 47, was all set to enter the ‘jungle’ camp in Murwillumbah in November when he posted a neo-Nazi meme to Facebook, leading to an advertiser boycott that forced the network to tear up Evans’ contract. Pictured: I’m a Celebrity hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris
Evans was just days away from entering the camp when his career imploded in the space of 24 hours in mid-November.
He was already in pre-show lockdown and scheduled to jump out of a helicopter alongside The Voice’s Jack Vidgen and Australian Idol alum Paulini Curuenavuli.
Channel 10 is refusing to acknowledge Evans was ever lined up to appear on I’m a Celebrity, despite multiple reports to the contrary.
The network’s only statement on the matter was issued on November 17.
Replacement: Channel 10 was left in an awkward position because trailers had already promoted the appearance of a ‘celebrity chef’. Producers decided to call up Colin Fassnidge (pictured), the Irish chef who previously starred alongside Evans on My Kitchen Rules
‘Network 10 can confirm that Pete Evans will not be appearing on this season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ a spokesperson said.
However, Evans later confirmed his involvement during an interview with YouTube life coach Mark Waite.
‘I was meant to be doing something for three weeks which was going to take me away from being with my wife,’ he said.
While Evans didn’t reveal details of the three-week commitment, he was clearly referring to the filming schedule for I’m a Celebrity, which took place over three weeks in November.
Delayed entrance: Channel 10 was unable to lock him in for the show’s launch and spent about a week negotiating his contract. As a result, Colin will debut on the show as an ‘intruder’
‘And as soon as this [the neo-Nazi meme scandal] happened, I called [my wife Nicola] and said, “Hey, listen. That’s not happening.” And she goes, “Do you want to go to yoga?” And I said, “Yeah, that sounds like a great thing,”‘ he recalled.
Indeed, Evans was pictured arriving at home after a yoga class early in the morning on the same day he was reportedly axed from I’m a Celebrity.
‘When I was at that yoga class – and in the last 10 minutes we were doing savasana, which is where you lie down and you meditate at the end of the class – I just had this knowing in my body that this is exactly where you’re meant to be,’ he continued.
‘This is exactly everything that should have happened.’
Disgraced: Evans was just days away from entering the camp when his career imploded in the space of 24 hours in mid-November. Channel 10 is refusing to acknowledge Evans was ever lined up to appear on I’m a Celebrity, despite multiple reports to the contrary
Evans has faced significant backlash since sharing the neo-Nazi meme on Facebook in November last year.
The post was a cartoon of a caterpillar wearing a MAGA cap and a butterfly with the neo-Nazi Black Sun emblem on its wing – with the suggestion being that neo-Nazism is the natural evolution for Donald Trump supporters.
Evans is an enthusiastic supporter of the president and advocates the baseless claim that Joe Biden only won the 2020 election due to voter fraud.
The Black Sun symbol became infamous after it was introduced by top-ranking Nazi Heinrich Himmler during World War II. The symbol has since been adopted by numerous neo-Nazi groups, and by Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant.
Shameful: Evans has faced significant backlash since sharing this neo-Nazi meme on Facebook in November last year. The post was a cartoon of a caterpillar wearing a MAGA cap and a butterfly with the neo-Nazi Black Sun emblem on its wing – with the suggestion being that neo-Nazism is the natural evolution for Donald Trump supporters
Outspoken: Pete is an enthusiastic supporter of the president and advocates the baseless claim that Joe Biden only won the 2020 election due to voter fraud
Evans seemingly confirmed he was aware of the meaning of the symbol when a fan stated they recognised it, and Pete replied: ‘I was waiting for someone to see that.’
He later deleted the post and replaced it with an image of a rainbow heart alongside a sarcastic non-apology in which he claimed he would be ‘studying all of the symbols that have ever existed’ to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone again.
‘Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,’ he wrote.
‘I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting. Hopefully this symbol❤️ resonates deeply into the hearts of ALL! ❤️’
In response to the scandal, he was dropped by more than 15 brands a sponsors, including Kmart, Coles, Big W, David Jones and Woolworths.
Remorseful: He later deleted the post and replaced it with this image of a rainbow heart alongside a sarcastic non-apology in which he claimed he would be ‘studying all of the symbols that have ever existed’ to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone again