Janet Street-Porter defends I’m a Celebrity’s Nella Rose after Fred Sirieix clash

‘Loose Women’ panellist sided with the influencer over a recent argument she had with the ‘First Dates’ staple

I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here contestant Nella Rose has found a supporter in Janet Street-Porter, as the talk show panellist defended her from criticism over a recently televised clash with Fred Sirieix.

The YouTube star and First Dates maître d’ are both currently competing in the ITV1 jungle survival programme.

On Tuesday’s episode (21 November), Rose, 26, expressed her distaste with Sirieix, 51, quipping that he could be her dad, in terms of their age differences. Rose, whose father died in 2020, eventually declared that as a result of Sirieix’s “disrespect”, she was no longer interested in building a friendship with him.

The argument between the campmates was widely debated by viewers, and became a topic of discussion on Wednesday’s episode of Loose Women (22 November).

While lead panellist Christine Lampard said she found the scene uncomfortable to watch, Jane Moore likened the exchange to something out of a “parallel universe”.

Former Love Island star Olivia Attwood Dack offered some support to Rose, she added that where the influencer “went wrong” was by calling the food connoisseur a “weirdo”. However, Street-Porter spoke in Rose’s favour and opined that Sirieix was, in fact, “a weirdo” for his remark.

“In her defence, I found Fred incredibly patronising,” Street-Porter said. “I mean, he’s not serving food in a restaurant now, he’s not dealing with difficult customers.

Janet Street-Porter on Loose Women (ITV / screengrab)

“I can see that what he said to her could’ve offended her and also, looking at her back story, her parents came from the Congo, they went to Belgium, both of her parents died within a few months of each other…”

After Moore chimed in by saying that Rose’s family circumstances are not Sirieix’s fault, Street-Porter concurred while adding that the context of her life “will inform how she reacts to him”.

The broadcaster also noted her hope that this incident wouldn’t result in her having an early departure from the series, as Rose has a unique perspective compared to her campmates.

Nella Rose on ‘I’m a Celebrity’ (ITV)

“I would hate to see, as a result of this, that she gets voted out of that camp,” Street-Porter explained. “Because, to me, the mix of people in the camp and to make the show work, we need people like her.

“I’m not saying that in a patronising way, I think she has a voice that other people don’t have and I find that Fred is more of the same, frankly.”

On Wednesday’s episode of I’m a Celebrity, Rose questioned Brexit pioneer Nigel Farage over his policies and beliefs regarding immigration.

After the former UKIP politician claimed that the pressure of people in the UK was having an effect on GP appointments, the online content creator said: “I’m stopping you getting a GP appointment? You’re not getting an appointment because the NHS is lacking funding.

“I bet you anything if every single immigrant or from immigrant descent was to leave the UK, all your doctors gone, most of your doctors are Asian right? Most of your nurses are African women, right?

“You want us gone, that’s all I understood.”

I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs Sunday to Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 9.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.