I’m A Celeb contestant Aitch found himself at the centre of controversy last month after sharing what many fans called a “disrespectful” and “vulgar” anecdote about an ex-girlfriend.

The Manchester-born rapper – who makes his debut on the ITV reality series tonight (November 16) – previously dated Australian influencer Lola Thompson for roughly 10 months between 2022 and 2023. While the pair were initially believed to have ended their relationship on friendly terms, tensions resurfaced when Lola publicly criticised Aitch for recounting an unsettling incident from their time together.

According to reports, Aitch, whose career has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to hits like “Baby” and “Taste” (source: BBC News), discussed the story during an appearance on the 90s Baby Show podcast in September. In the episode, he revealed a personal and intimate moment that took place while the former couple were on holiday in Bali—something many listeners felt should have remained private.

Aitch’s controversial story goes viral

Describing the moment in a tone that many fans found unnecessarily crude, Aitch said:
“I was with a girl, and we went to sleep and woke up the next morning… tried to get it cracking,” he began, before recounting his shock upon seeing that their bed sheets had been “soiled” due to what he described as a case of “Bali belly,” a digestive illness common among tourists (The Guardian notes that Bali belly affects thousands of travellers every year).

Aitch then claimed he believed his girlfriend had passed wind in her sleep and “thought she’d got away with murder.” He recalled saying to her: “I think something’s happened there!” He added that he had to leave the room because “there were no doors,” and he couldn’t handle watching her clean up the mess.

The clip quickly circulated online, drawing criticism from fans and commentators who said the rapper had crossed a boundary by sharing such a personal story for entertainment.

Lola responds: “It’s vulgar, disgusting and disrespectful”

Within days, Lola publicly identified herself as the woman in Aitch’s story. Posting a TikTok video to her followers, the Australian influencer slammed him for exaggerating what actually happened.

“I find it so vulgar and disgusting and so disrespectful the way that he’s speaking about me,” she said, visibly upset. According to Lola, the incident was far smaller than Aitch implied: “I did this in my sleep… it was a little bit in my pants. It didn’t go on the bed, it didn’t go on him. It didn’t go [bleep] everywhere like he said it did.”

She further contradicted his storytelling by insisting he had been kind in the moment, not disgusted:
“He wasn’t being like, ‘Oh, get away from me!’ He was literally hugging me, telling me he loved me.”

Her response gained traction on social media platforms, with many commenters praising her honesty and calling out the rapper for publicly humiliating an ex-partner. Outlets such as Metro UK and Daily Mail also reported on the backlash, noting that the discussion highlighted growing public criticism toward influencers and celebrities who overshare intimate details for attention (sources: Metro UK, Daily Mail).

Fans defend Lola: “He’s shown his true side”

Support for Lola came quickly. One viewer commented:
“Who cares if it’s the wall or ceiling. It’s something you can’t control. He should have never said it! He has shown his true side.”

Another added:
“I don’t even get why he tried to make this an embarrassing take. You were literally ill and had an accident. Anyone who’s been sick gets it.”

A third person echoed the sentiment, condemning Aitch’s motives:
“The internet is such a bad place and Aitch is disgusting and weird for even saying it. He wanted people to laugh at his little story but didn’t think about how it could affect people. Big up you for being real and telling the true story. You have a lot of confidence — that could have destroyed someone else.”

Many cultural commentators have also pointed out that this incident raises questions about celebrities using podcasts and viral clips to boost publicity, even at the expense of personal relationships (source: Variety).

As Aitch steps into the Australian jungle for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, some viewers believe this controversy may follow him into the series, potentially shaping public perception of him early on.