Deni Hines just told us the real reason she left I'm A Celeb 2026.

Following her departure from the jungle, Australian singer Deni Hines has been at the centre of plenty of online speculation regarding her time on I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Australia 2026.

After countless rumours about camp tensions and "diva" behaviour, Deni sat down with Mamamia to set the record straight on what really went down behind the scenes.

From her blunt assessment of the "passive-aggressive" energy in camp to the real reason she was desperate to leave, Deni addressed all the headlines.

Despite the talk about tensions with co-stars, Deni — made it clear that while she loved the scenery, the lack of basic amenities was starting to take a psychological toll.

Watch: Deni Hines and Cyrell Paule argument on I'm A Celeb 2026. Article continues after video.

After weeks of surviving on meagre rations and living in the dirt, the immediate relief of her departure was palpable.

"Free at last," she told Mamamia of her first thought after leaving the show. "Thank God Almighty, free at last. Freedom. Toilet. Hot shower. A decent bed. Real food."

One of the most talked-about moments of the season was the frosty exchange between Deni and reality TV star Cyrell Paule. The tension peaked when Cyrell asked Deni if she could actually sing. For an ARIA-award winner with a career spanning decades, the question didn't land well.

Deni noted that the friction wasn't just about one question, but a fundamental clash of energy and age.

"There's a way to ask a question. I found that there was a passive-aggressive [nature] to her. We have the sort of personalities that wouldn't vibe together at all. I'm a very strong-willed person. I'm also in my 50s, I don't hang out with many 30-year-olds," she explained of their rift. 

But despite the headlines, Deni insists the drama didn't consume her experience. 

Image: Channel 10

"There was that one interaction and then another one, but we didn't spend the rest of the time trying to follow each other around... there's enough people in camp," she said.

Deni made it clear that she doesn't see a reconciliation on the horizon, largely because of the physical distance between them.

"I don't stand anywhere. She's in Australia, and I'm in Thailand," Deni added.

As for the rumours that Deni hasn't followed her castmates back on social media? She's chalking it up to a misunderstanding. 

"I don't know where they have followed me... because I am following Concetta. I am following Luke. I am following Dyson. I am following Rachel," she explained.

While many celebrities struggle with the heights or the bugs, Deni's greatest nemesis was none other than the long-drop toilet. She gave a vivid, harrowing description of the "clay box" and the garbage bin setup that she simply couldn't stomach.

"I could not bring myself to s*** in that toilet. I would rather dig a hole in the jungle. I just couldn't do it," she explained. 

In fact, the singer revealed that her digestive strike was the only thing that made her want to leave. Aside from the bathroom situation, she actually thrived in the wild.

Image: Channel 10

"I loved sleeping in the jungle. I love doing people's laundry, I like washing dishes. I like keeping busy. I definitely wouldn't have gone home if I had gone to the toilet," she said. 

But it wasn't all friction and fibre struggles. Deni formed deep bonds with several campmates, particularly Concetta Caristo, with whom she shared vulnerable conversations about their respective childhoods.

As for who she wants to see take the crown? There are two boys on her list.

"Luke. He is an absolute sweetheart," she beamed. "Being able to come through what he came through to be the kind of guy he is now is amazing."

"Dyson is the coolest motherf***er I've ever known. Dyson's a leader," she said. 

As she settles back into her life, it's clear that Deni Hines is leaving the jungle drama exactly where it belongs. For Deni, the jungle was just another chapter — and now she's more than ready to turn the page.

Feature Image: Channel Ten.