Tommy Fury drops out of I'm A Celebrity at the last minute for rumoured major KSI rematch

Former Love Island star Tommy Fury has reportedly turned down a return to reality TV, sidestepping an appearance in this year's series of 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' - leaving ITV in the lurch for a high-profile rematch.

It's believed that Tyson Fury's younger sibling has been lured by a more appealing proposition, electing to re-enter the boxing world with a potentially lucrative rematch against YouTube giant KSI, rather than rub shoulders with celebrities like Coleen Rooney in the Australian wilderness.

The boxer, who is fresh from calling off his engagement to Molly-Mae Hague, was reportedly in discussions with producers of the ITV show just before he chose to decline the offer, despite the imminent start date of the show. A television insider expressed astonishment at Tommy's backing out from 'I'm a Celebrity', suggesting it would have been a golden opportunity for him.

READ MORE: I'm A Celebrity 2024 start date confirmed by ITV amid rumoured celebrity line-up

Relaying their thoughts to The Sun, they said: "Bosses are surprised Tommy has pulled out of I'm A Celebrity at this late stage as it would have been a great opportunity for him."

They added: "Thankfully, execs already had some great names waiting in the wings so they'll be looking at which ones fit best into the line-up already booked so they can deliver a truly great series."

Dodging questions about his rumoured jungle stint on Heart Breakfast, Tommy said: "Listen, a lot of things in my life is like a rollercoaster in a minute. There are so many things I might do. You know, could he be doing this? Could he be doing that? To be honest with you, I don't know what I'm doing this afternoon. I mean, I just take literally an hour at a time, so I don't know. There's a lot of things going on in my life right now. So, I'm not sure on anything."

Amanda Holden, the host of Heart Breakfast, expressed her concerns about Tommy's potential involvement, saying: "I mean, it would be a brilliant one to do but I would worry about the lack of protein in there. You'd come out a bit deflated, like the Michelin but not the Michelin Man by the end of it."

ITV chiefs were reportedly keen for Tommy to join their show, hoping he would spill details about his dramatic split from Molly-Mae. The pair, who became famous on Love Island's fifth series, had moved in together, had a baby in January last year, and even got engaged.

But they quashed fans' dreams this summer when they announced their breakup after five years together, amidst rumours of infidelity. There was widespread speculation that Tommy might share the true reasons behind their breakup while chatting with other celebs around the campfire.

An insider previously disclosed to The Sun: "Tommy is a great name as a potential campmate as he's already known to the ITV audience and he'd be brilliant in the Bushtucker Trials. Bosses are talking with lots of celebrities ahead of the new series and are determined to make this year's line-up one of the best.

"They also know that the superfit boxer is likely to be a prime candidate for the annual hunk-in-the-jungle shower scenes."

However, it seems those plans have been dashed, with Tommy opting to focus on his boxing career rather than competing for stars in a Bushtucker Trial on the reality show.