ITV I'm A Celebrity Dean McCullough's mum speaks out on 'fake' claims about her son

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here star Dean McCullough mum has defended her son insisting "there is nothing false about him," after he has come under fire from viewers of the ITV reality show.

Dean's mum Ann has jetted into Brisbane to support her BBC Radio 1 presenter son, who has faced criticism from show hosts Ant and Dec over his trial attempts, on the show as the eliminations loom

But she insisted his screams ARE real and he was trying his best. "We are seeing the real Dean, he is just being himself….he just gets on with it," she told the Mirror. "And that’s what I said to him: 'Have fun and be yourself.'"

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Ant had repeatedly shared his frustration about Dean during the series and in an Instagram Live video with fans, Dec even claimed there was a "bit of a debate" backstage as to whether Dean’s terrified response was genuine.

But Ann said: "I think Ant’s been a wee bit hard on him. I’m gonna have to have a wee word with Ant about that, maybe later. He has been game for anything. He’s just been himself, and we’re all so, so proud."

She also opened up about being picked SIX times for trials saying it’s been “awful” but that it meant that viewers loved him. Ann said: "It’s been awful. Everytime he has been picked again, it’s been ‘oh my god.’ Do you know what, he’s a team player, he loves it and does his best."

Asked why he was getting picked to do the trials, she said: "I think it’s because everyone wants to see him, he’s good to look at, he is great fun, and he is enjoying every single minute of it. People want to see him doing the challenges as he is such a funny bloke. It’s hard to watch but he is getting on with it. I told him that there is nothing in that jungle that is going to kill you."

He has asked to quit the trials twice in the past - which was something also frowned upon by Ant and Dec - and Ann says: “These were the moments that I was hiding behind a cushion, with me and the two dogs. I was like, 'Please don’t say the words, please don’t say the words.’ But he gave it a really good go.”

And she also opened up about Dean’s spat with Alan Halsall, she said: “He didn’t give him much time to wake up did he? Maybe in a couple of seconds, he would have been grand to go and help Jane.”

On seeing him when he comes out of the jungle, Ann added: "I can’t wait to check him from head to toe for tics, and for everything, to make sure he is ok, and give him one big hug."