Jane Moore breaks silence on ‘Washing-up-gate’ and spat with Barry McGuigan after I’m A Celeb chores spark sexism row
JANE Moore today insisted she was joking when she called Barry McGuigan and Danny Jones “sexist” during their “Washing-up-gate” spat.
She was annoyed at being handed the chore of cleaning dishes in the I’m A Celeb jungle when the pair became camp leaders.
Sun columnist Jane, 62, pleaded not to be given the task by boxing legend Barry, 63, and McFly singer Danny, 38.
But that fell on deaf ears and Jane snapped, having already spent nine days on dunny duty.
She questioned whether they were being “sexist and ageist” by giving the job to her – but she quickly told them she was just on the wind-up.
After she left the Aussie jungle last night, Jane’s daughter Ellie, 32, told her she had done her proud – but informed her of the “Washing-up-gate” saga.
Jane insisted Barry is not sexist and said: “No, it was because two women had done the washing up the first time, but the first time everybody sort of volunteered for what they wanted to do.
“Barry is a complete grafter and constantly kept trying to help me, but you’re not allowed to help.
“Every time they try and help you, there could be consequences like they take stars away. So you have to totally stay in your lane on your chores.
“And I genuinely don’t think they had realised quite how physically-demanding lugging the washing up and all the big heavy metal pans is. Up and down, right down the creek and then up all of the stairs, four times a day.
“It was more about that.
“So I just sort of went, ‘Oh, that’s it, bloody sexist, women do the washing-up, men sit on their thrones talking b*****ks or whatever.
“I was 100 per cent winding them up and teasing them.
“Danny got it straight away. Barry… I think he thought I was serious, and I very quickly said to him, ‘Barry, I’m winding you up. Don’t worry about it’.”
Speaking to The Sun hours after she left camp, Jane went on: “Since emerging, I’ve discovered that Washing-up-gate has become a thing, but actually it wasn’t about washing up.
I'm A Celebrity 2024
i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year..
Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.
Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.
Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities.
Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.
GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.
Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.
Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom Fletcher.
Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.
Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”
Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.
Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity, and he’s ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.”
“It was about the physical, manual labour because it’s one of the toughest jobs.
“Because the first week I collected the wood, I built the fire, I emptied the dunny and I put the rubbish out in the evening. So I had four jobs.
“Dean (McCullough) was my co-worker, but he was always out of camp on trials – so I was doing it all on my own and it was physically exhausting.
“So when there was a change of leadership, the other very physically exhausting job is going up and down to the creek with the washing up four times a day because there’s two massive pails of it – 12 lots.
“I was tired and I didn’t want that very physically-demanding job, so I said to Danny as he was leaving, ‘I don’t want to do the washing up’. And of course, they come back in and go, ‘Washing up, Jane’.
“So I kicked off about it because I thought, ‘Has no one noticed all the hard slog that I’ve been doing for the last week?’ And maybe they could cut me a break?”
Loose Women panellist Jane heaped praise on Barry, who wants to invite his campmates to a party at his house in Kent when the show is over.
She said: “What a special man. I call him Duracell Barry. He’s like a little Duracell bunny.
“He wants to do everything. He wants to help everybody. He talks 19 and to the dozen.
“He’s got great stories. He wants to know all about you.
“And then about 15 minutes later, he just goes back to his little charging station, lies on his bed, with his feet up, sleeps about 15 minutes and then he’s back out again.
“But what a lovely guy.”