Animal rights activist Carole Baskin has strongly denied that she will join the cast of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!
The Tiger King star, 59, is best known for her rivalry with exotic animal keeper Joe Exotic, as portrayed on the hit Netflix docuseries.
Previous reports had suggested that showrunners for I’m A Celeb had hoped to persuade Carole to appear on the show this year.
The next run will take place in the UK at a castle in North Wales, due to restrictions surrounding the current coronavirus pandemic.
However, when speaking to Mirror Online, Carole strongly denied that she will take part in the hit ITV series, which returns to screens later this year.
Carole said: “I strive towards veganism so there is nothing so gross in the plant world, for me to be forced to eat on camera, as to make for entertaining television.”
The Big Cat Rescue CEO noted the long-running criticism of the series from animal rights groups.
She continued: “The show has been criticized by animal lovers for the consumption of live creatures, and no amount of money would make me want to be part of something that disrespects nature that way.”
ITV declined to comment on Carole’s remarks when approached by Mirror Online.
A number of stars from Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard to EastEnders star Lacey Turner and singer Katherine Jenkins have been rumoured to join the ITV series.
Meanwhile, Carole herself has also spoken out in criticism of Cardi B’s music video for her single WAP (featuring Megan Thee Stallion), slamming its use of big cats and saying it likely used “one of the big cat pimps” who she says are beating, shocking and starving cats”.
Cardi’s response to the criticism was to accuse Carole of murdering her second husband Don Lewis, something Baskin has always denied.
Carole has since accused Cardi B of trying to “deflect the conversation to something else.”
The Tiger King star is currently facing a lawsuit from the family of Don Lewis in the hope of getting answers surrounding his disappearance.
“Generally you announce a $150 million lawsuit and how we’re going to get justice and we are going to do all of that in time,” said attorney John Phillips. “But our office wants to invite reason, to invite civil conversation where it can be had.”
Carole still denies involvement in Lewis’ disappearance in 1997, with her second husband being declared dead in 2002.