Australian TV royalty Kerri-Anne Kennerley is in therapy following that heated argument with Married at First Sight’s Domenica Calarco on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.
As revealed in episode 279 of the So Dramatic! podcast, the former Studio Ten host was subjected to “vile” language and constant “bullying” at the hands of Domenica and is said to be in trauma therapy to help her cope.
ICYMI: Kerri-Anne sensationally quit I’m A Celebrity after she refused to eat a testicle during a challenge.
Viewers saw the 69-year-old TV legend get emotional when she returned to camp, as she told her campmates Domenica launched a tirade at her.
“The abuse was quite overwhelming,” she said in her final scenes on the show.
“To be called the most self-centred b*tch she’s ever met, and the contract queen, time and time again…
“I’ve made a choice – and it was a hard choice because I’d love to stay. But it’s never going to work. This just morphed into something that it shouldn’t have been.”
But things didn’t really add up when the 30-year-old TV bride returned to camp and told her version of events. It seemed like whatever Domenica said was blown hugely out of proportion by Kerri-Anne.
With more than 50 years in the industry, you’d think the Logie Hall of Famer could handle a bit of scrutiny. And over a testicle of all things.
What really happened between Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Domenica Calarco during that explosive I’m A Celebrity argument over a testicle?
But as revealed in episode 279 of the So Dramatic! podcast, there was a lot more to their interaction that wasn’t shown.
According to a source, the fight was so “explicit and vile” producers were left with no option but to leave it on the cutting room floor. As much as some viewers would have loved to see it, I’m A Celebrity is a “family show” after all.
However, luckily for us, a source has told So Dramatic! exactly what went down during the stoush.
The fiery duo’s altercation lasted for about 10 minutes – far longer than the tiny snippet that went to air.
Our insider claims that viewers saw “was extremely out of context without showing what Domenica first said to Kerri-Anne to warrant that response”.
“It made Kerri-Anne look like a diva, the instigator, and a liar because they never showed what she was reacting to,” the source explained.
“So that’s why Dom looked innocent in the situation and almost like a victim.”
The source went on to say that the abuse was so intense, Kerri-Anne started “hyperventilating” and “had to go sit down off camera”.
“Kerri-Anne asked producers for some water to help her calm down and they said they weren’t giving her any until she went back and confronted Domenica,” the source said.
“She said ‘No way, I’m getting out of here, this is inhumane’.
Adding: “She was inconsolable.”
Kerri-Anne Kennerley alleges Domenica Calarco bullied her during I’m A Celebrity and that’s why she quit
Since her exit, Kerri-Anne revealed during an interview on The Project that Domenica was the real reason she quit. Eating a testicle was just the final straw.
“I can’t remember having ever been spoken to like that… in my entire life,” she explained.
However, our insider has revealed it was much worse than Kerri-Anne let on, saying Domenica “was constantly bullying her in the jungle”.
“After days of being on the receiving” end of Domenica’s ‘horrific’ bullying, Kerri-Anne had ‘had enough and that’s why she said she couldn’t stay on the show’.
“Kerri-Anne told [producers] she wanted to leave cause of Domenica’s bullying and they were trying to convince her not to and to keep fighting,” the source continued.
It literally sounds like the playbook of a MAFS producer, not the so-called “family-friendly” vibe of I’m A Celebrity.
Kerri-Anne is in therapy after her argument with Domenica on I’m A Celebrity
The events caused such a toll on Kerri-Anne’s mental health, she has been seeing a trauma counsellor since leaving the show.
“Kerri-Anne is in therapy right now because of Domenica,” the source said.
“She’s not coping at all and has taken a real hit from it all. It’s quite a scary thing to go through.”
The new intel has also been backed up by entertainment reporter Peter Ford during a chat on 3AW radio on April 3 following Kerri-Anne’s eviction from the show.
“I do think also having spoken to her that she was treated very badly in there and she has told me she was subjected to the most vile abuse from that vulgar woman from MAFS… foul-mouthed abuse that went on for more than 10 minutes and no one intervened,” Peter said.
Kerri-Anne is also said to be donating her hefty salary from the show to her nominated charity, Spinal Cure Australia because she feels “like she failed” by checking out after just three days.
I’m A Celebrity producers backtracked on Kerri-Anne’s special contract
As for the claims Kerri-Anne is a diva, the source has revealed her ‘special contract’ wasn’t as it appeared to viewers.
The veteran presenter was permitted to bring makeup into the jungle, which Domenica confronted her about, and was also promised she would be able to skip intense challenges.
However, the insider said Kerri-Anne was “bribed” with “makeup”, probably because they’d been trying to get her to take part in the show for years.
She was also reassured by production, “You won’t need to get bitten by a snake, you don’t need to do many challenges“.
However, the contract seemed to go out the window once Kerri-Anne entered the jungle.
“She never expected to be targeted by other campmates because of her contract and she was also annoyed that they backtracked on the agreement [by making her participate in challenges] she made prior to entering the jungle.
And add that to the list of people Domenica has burnt bridges with…
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