DAVID Haye is to sue ITV for up to £10million over claims of “irreparable damage to his brand” amid the all-stars I’m A Celeb fallout.
He has instructed lawyers to send a letter to ITV, and is demanding a full investigation into the show edit.
The move comes as the 45-year-old faces losing his fee for Friday’s chaotic live final over an alleged breach of contract.
A source told The Sun: “David is absolutely gung-ho about all of this — he is incandescent with rage about how the whole series has been handled and feels he’s being made a scapegoat by ITV.
He believes he was deliberately edited to be the pantomime villain and made to look misogynistic, aggressive and a bully.
“He insists he is none of these and has suffered trolling.
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“He can cite examples — such as the Gemma Collins ‘fat-shaming’ moment, which used clever editing and snide eye-rolls, etc to make his remark look damning.
“His lawyers will go through the series with a fine-toothed comb to find more.
“He is going for damages as a result of the ‘propaganda’ aired against him to recover lost earnings, which lawyers believe could total up to £10million.
David previously had talks with Netflix about a show, and these have halted, while other brand deals appear to have been paused.”
David is understood to be using £500-an-hour legal firm Gatehouse Chambers.
During filming in South Africa last year, David was accused of bullying actor and eventual winner Adam Thomas, 37.
Ex-Premier League footballer Jimmy Bullard, 47, also clashed with Adam in a trial which saw the actor go on an expletive-filled rant.
Host Ant McPartlin later called that row “unbroadcastable” when Jimmy and David raised the favourable edit given to Adam.
Both Jimmy and David want the full, unedited row to be shown.
After Friday’s live final in London both were escorted out of the studio flanked by security.
David is now set to lose out on the final £25,000 of his appearance fee due to “disrepute” warnings.
Former Wigan player Jimmy has also sought legal advice.
In Friday’s final, he said nine times that Adam’s conduct was “abusive, aggressive and intimidating” — a key phrase from the cast’s contract concerning unacceptable behaviour.
