Pete Evans dumped by Channel 10
Pete Evans will not be appearing on the next season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! after intense social media backlash.
The beloved chef turned conspiracy theorist is confirmed to not be reappearing on the show as it gears up to start filming next week.
“Network 10 can confirm that Pete Evans will not be appearing on this season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!” a Ten spokesperson told news.com.au.
It follows after the Byron Bay-based chef and author made comments that seemed to suggest humans are not capable of spreading COVID-19.
He also shared a cartoon that included a drawing of the Black Sun symbol from Nazi Germany, but quickly deleted it after intense backlash.
He publicly apologised however and claimed he had no idea of the symbol’s historical significance.
Pete Evans has changed...
...from serving up food...
...to serving up conspiracy theories...
...to serving up cartoons containing nazi symbolism.
If you, your friends, or family follow him on social media, it’s time to unfollow. That includes you @MacmillanAus and @Coles pic.twitter.com/M2FpWKbKoF— Dr Brad McKay (@DrBradMcKay) November 16, 2020
Channel 10 was trending on Twitter on Monday night after rumours were sparked that the network was considering giving Evans’ dangerous views a platform.
However, the line-up for the show had not been officially announced.
Addressing it on Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa on Friday, host Julia Morris said she hoped it was true.
“Surely at a minimum there’s been a conversation,” she said. “I saw the rumours in the paper and I said please let that be true because that might actually make my year!”
Evans’ backlash began when he claimed during a video interview that people are not spreaders of the deadly virus.
“Is that what we’ve come here to do? Do we have the belief in ourselves that we’re contagious, that we are spreaders of something?” Evans asked.
“I choose not to believe in that narrative because it doesn’t make any sense to me.”
The interviewer then asked Evans if he was worried that choosing to ignore medical advice could spread the virus to more vulnerable people.
Evans replied after a cough and a snort: “It doesn’t spread the virus.”
Pete Evans says you aren’t contagious and you can’t spread #covid19 to kill vulnerable people. This is your ‘health’ partner @macmillanaus. 1 million+ dead. You sell his products @coles @woolworths @booktopia @Audible_AU. CC @slpng_giants_oz @MFWitches @peteevansnot @_SarahMcPhee pic.twitter.com/Cn2Cr07o78
— Cam (@camliveshere) November 13, 2020
To make matters worse, the celebrity chef shared a cartoon that appeared to support white nationalist views.
It included a picture of a caterpillar and a butterfly. On the butterfly’s wings was the Black Sun symbol made infamous by Nazi Heinrich Himmler.
His publisher Pan Macmillian announced on Monday that it was “finalising” its relationship with Evans, saying that it “does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans”.
“Those views are not our views as a company or the views of our staff. Pan Macmillian is currently finalising its contractual relationship with Pete Evans and as such will not be entering any further publishing agreements moving forward,” the statement read.
“If any retailer wishes to return Pete Evans’ books please contact Pan Macmillian.”
Dymocks Australia promptly followed suit, tweeting that they “are in the process of removing his books from our website and have advised our stores to return their stock as offered by the publisher”.
Evans apologised for sharing the cartoon, writing: “Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred.
“I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting.”