Thomas Brothers: Arrogance Fuels Their TV Empire

From  Come Dancing to Love Island and , between them the Thomas brothers have done it all. 

But for the  regulars, one thing has become increasingly hard to ignore: it rarely ends well.

Those watching 's latest stint on the All Stars series of I'm A Celeb were left stunned this week as his affable 'nice guy' persona slipped, replaced by something altogether less palatable as he exploded in a rage at campmate Jimmy Bullard.

And once-loyal fans were quick to turn on him.

'Reality TV really does not go well for the Thomas brothers, maybe it's time they give it up,' one wrote, echoing a growing sentiment online. 'Do the Thomas brothers have a deal which means they insert themselves into every possible reality show?' another added.

Adam cemented the family's rise to prominence with his nine-year stint on as Adam Barton, following his older brother Ryan's 16-year spell as on in the early 2000s. 

Meanwhile, Adam's twin Scott established himself in PR but entered the public eye in 2016 as a Love Island finalist. In recent years, the brothers have capitalised on their family brand, appearing in the ITV documentary Mancs In Mumbai in 2020, and they now host a podcast together.

But behind the scenes, questions are being asked not only about the foul-mouthed outburst itself – but how the brothers have continued to land such high-profile television roles despite being embroiled in a string of controversies.

We can reveal that their enduring presence on screen may be due to their position in showbusiness circles being bolstered by particularly well-placed connections.

Adam's agent, Madison Lygo, is the daughter of Kevin Lygo, ITV's director of television – the man responsible for overseeing content commissioning across the broadcaster.

It is, at the very least, a notable coincidence for a family whose members have appeared across a range of ITV programmes.

And one that is unlikely to quieten whispers of favouritism.

'Ever since they started out, Adam and his brothers have been arrogant,' says one showbiz insider. 'They've wanted the maximum exposure and the maximum money, but more than anything, they love to call the shots. With Jimmy, Adam hasn't been able to do that.'

This week's row – billed as the biggest bust-up in I'm A Celebrity's history – saw Adam, 37, explode at former footballer Jimmy, 47, after he quit the gruesome 'Rancid Run' trial, which involved working as a pair to retrieve cogs from an ant-infested abacus using only their mouths.

'Are you f-ing taking the p***?' Adam screamed, before storming towards his campmate, raging: 'I am in there getting covered in f***ing ants!'

Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt watched on, bewildered by his outburst. Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were forced to step in and break up the spat.

What followed has proved even more controversial, as despite rules stating both contestants should be eliminated if they failed the trial, Adam was allowed to remain in camp – fuelling claims the show had been 'fixed' in his favour.

And if that decision raised eyebrows, what ITV chose not to broadcast may lift them even higher.

Because while audiences were treated to a heated exchange, insiders insist the version that was aired was a fraction of what truly unfolded, which ITV bosses are desperate to keep under wraps.

As the Daily Mail revealed on Wednesday, those close to Jimmy claim Adam called him a 'c***' in scenes that were later cut by the broadcaster and that Adam tried to kick him. (An ITV spokesperson insists that he kicked 'a door', not his fellow contestant.)

'It was shocking. Jimmy's view is that Adam was vile, vicious and violent, but most of it has been cut out by ITV so the viewers will not see the full extent of his behaviour,' revealed one insider.

'The row was actually really horrible and affected the rest of the cast,' the source added. 'Now it seems like Adam is carrying on like he never did it.'

Yet despite the fallout, ITV has confirmed Adam will attend Friday night's live final at a central London studio – while Jimmy will not be there.

Across social media, viewers were quick to point out that the Thomas brothers seem to attract drama.

'Always seems to be a problem with these Thomas brothers when they go on reality shows,' one wrote.

Indeed, it's not the first time a member of the family has lost their temper in front of the nation. Scott has also shown a similarly combustible streak.

During his return to Love Island for the All Stars series in 2025, he became embroiled in a furious row with fellow contestant Luca Bish during the show's infamous 'Vegas Night'.

'Shut the f*** up. Who the f*** are you talking to? Are you stupid? I'm trying to be respectful,' he raged as other islanders were forced to step between the pair.

The confrontation ultimately hastened his exit from the villa – another reality stint ending not with triumph, but tension.

But even those scenes were not without precedent.

Because years earlier, Scott's relationship with fellow Love Islander Kady McDermott, 30, unravelled following a series of 'fiery' rows.

Their split came after Scott allegedly assaulted Kady in a drunken tiff after waking her up in the middle of the night in June 2017.

A source said: 'Kady was furious when Scott came into the house drunk. They had a huge row and it got out of hand with some pushing and shoving.

'Kady called the police and Scott spent the rest of the night in a cell. It was blown out of proportion and they were both really embarrassed the next day.'

At the time, Greater Manchester Police confirmed a 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault, but later released without charge or further investigation.

Ryan, meanwhile, found himself at the centre of one of the most explosive controversies in reality TV history during his time on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

Falsely accused by actress Roxanne Pallett of deliberately punching her - which she later admitted was an overreaction – Ryan, now 41, was left fearful that the scandal could end his career.

While public support eventually propelled him to victory, the incident proved just how quickly things can spiral for a Thomas sibling.

Off-screen, too, their personal lives are far from squeaky clean.

The Daily Mail previously revealed that the brothers have earned a less-than-glowing reputation in their native Manchester, with some locals suggesting their friendly TV personas bear little resemblance to reality.

'They play the game well,' says one source familiar with the family. 'Some say that clashing with the brothers is not for the faint-hearted.'