Dec Donnelly HITS BACK at Simon Cowell after Fleur East I’m a Celebrity jibe

Simon Cowell’s on-air dig at former X Factor contestant Fleur East didn’t go unnoticed on Saturday night, with I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here host Dec Donnelly jumping to her defense during Sunday’s bushtucker trial.

As Fleur participated in the ‘Gore Season’s Pizza’ trial this weekend, Dec and co-host Holly Willoughby could be heard shouting their usual encouragement. When the trial moved on to Fleur having to hit a giant cheese-shaped piñata, Dec shouted, “Picture Simon Cowell’s face!”

The ex X-Factor star, who finished runner-up on 2014’s series, managed to crack open the cheese right at the last moment to win extra stars to feed her fellow camp mates.

Dec and Simon have a long history as colleagues, having worked on Britain’s Got Talent together since 2007. But Dec made clear where his loyalties lay this weekend, after Simon made a nasty comment live on Saturday’s X Factor which seemed to be a dig at Fleur.

“I don’t want you in the jungle in two years time drinking worm juice,” Simon told finalist Scarlett Lee after her rendition of Elton John’s 'Your Song'. “I want you on either Broadway or West End or selling records.

“This could change your life, babe,” he added.

Viewers at home and the live studio audience were quick to pick up on the jibe, with the crowd immediately erupting into a chorus of ‘boos’ and fans at home taking to Twitter to air their disapproval.

'Can you believe Simon had the AUDACITY to indirect Fleur East when she could’ve been one of the best exports from X Factor if he’d bothered to promote her #XFactor #XFactorFinal,' wrote one Twitter user on Saturday night.

Another wrote, 'Simon Cowell just dragged Fleur East for being on I’m a Celebrity. Shame he’s just jealous because @TheXFactor gets a third of the ratings @imacelebrity gets.' Another then added, 'X Factor is over and everyone but Simon has acknowledged that.'

Meanwhile, in more positive news, Louis Tomlinson’s act Dalton Harris was voted the winner of 2018’s X Factor after beating both Scarlett Lee and Anthony Russell in the final.

Check out all of the best photos from The X Factor final below:

NOW WATCH: "She's been my rock" X Factor finalist Scarlett Lee Opens Up About Support From Jesy Nelson & the GC

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