Ant McPartlin shared some kind words for Dean McCullough during his jungle exit interview – but a body language expert claims there were signs of a ‘grudge match’

Ant and Dec interviewed Dean McCullough following his exit (Image: ITV)

I’m A Celebrity presenter Ant McPartlin’s true feelings for Dean McCullough have seemingly been exposed by a body language expert.

The pair came face to face as Dean became the second person to be evicted from the jungle, following Jane Moore’s exit earlier this week.

As usual, the eliminated celebrity is interviewed by Ant and Dec following their exit before being reunited with their families, but after Ant’s treatment of him during the trials, Dean quickly confronted him.

He exclaimed: “You were so harsh! What was going on?” Ant brutally responded: “Let me explain why, Dean. I was very angry with you for calling I’m a Celebrity.”

He was referring to one time where Dean stopped his trial partway through by calling out the iconic catchphrase, despite nearly completing the challenge.

Dec chimed in: “But that was because we felt that the trial was doable. And you panicked over the sand in sarcophagus.” Ant refused to back down as he insisted: “You could have done the trial. Then that tough love kind of got you through.”

Dean McCullough did not seem happy with Ant’s comments (Image: GMB/X)

Body language expert Judi James has examined the exchange as she revealed Ant and Dean’s relationship could become a “grudge match”.

She told Paddy Power Games: “Dean McCullough’s exit interview displayed a stark and dramatic mood shift last night as Ant chose to address what he termed his ‘tough love’ response to Dean’s initial poor performances in the challenges. There were at least six body language signals from Ant, Dean and Dec that hinted this could evolve into a real grudge match.

“The topic was evidently pre-planned as we saw Ant glancing down at his notes and preparing his posture to make his point. As he started with ‘I was quite harsh on you…’ his body language transitioned from jovial to serious, extending one hand out, palm-out, towards Dean to emphasise his point with an almost parental authority,” before noting Dec seemed uncomfortable by the exchange

Judi continued: “Dean’s non-verbal response to Ant’s ‘harsh’ claim was to lean back in his seat with a self-protective hand barrier while his voice pitch rose several notes, and the rounded-cheek smile began to fade. Dec’s discomfort signals increased, with a contrived-looking joyless laugh as he pulled his jacket together over his torso in a truncated barrier ritual.”

“Ant raised an index finger in another gesture of authority and gave Dean a hard gaze before placing a clawed hand on the table to make his point as he told Dean ‘I was very angry with you for calling ‘I’m A Celebrity’. This was the point where the jungle exit chat became a stern talk in the Head’s office.

“The camera was on Dean’s face so we could catch his change in eye expression that was triggered by the word ‘angry’. A swift double-blink eye stutter suggested he didn’t like what he was seeing and hearing, and his eye expression hardened to something less playful and more serious. He also sucked his lips in tight to suggest rejection and dislike,” as Judi also claimed Ant seemed pleased with what he said, and considered it “job done”.