JUNGLE HOLLY... WHAT A SCREAM!
I’M A Celebrity host Holly Willoughby could only look on in horror as a snake lunged at actress Emily Atack in her quest for stars on last night’s show.
Holly, 37, urged the former Inbetweeners star to “move him along slightly”, but the snake refused to budge as Emily, 28, failed to get the token for food for the camp in her first attempt.
Worried Holly said: “I’ve never seen anything like this. Oh she’s going for it.”
She recoiled and shrieked when the snake struck at Emily as she tried again.
Later, a more relaxed looking Holly left her Gold Coast apartment for treatment at a nearby massage parlour.
She and co-host Declan Donnelly had every reason to feel chilled. Ratings were up a million on the 2017 launch with 11 million viewers, peaking at 11.9 million, making it the biggest show of the year outside of the World Cup and the biggest series launch of I’m A Celebrity since 2013.
Speaking after the first show on ITV2’s Extra Camp, Holly said: “I feel relieved, massively relieved. It’s so overwhelming, this show, watching this was part of my life for years and it’s surreal being here.”
Dec, presenting the show for the first time without usual partner Ant McPartlin, added that Holly broke down in tears the first time she went into the jungle camp.
He said: “It is really nice for me seeing it through someone else’s eyes as well.
“I have been here a long time now and the first time I showed Holly the camp we were walking in and I said, ‘This is where we stand’ and I looked and she wasn’t there, she was at the entrance just looking up.”
Holly said: “There was no one in camp at that time so there was no arguments and it was peaceful.”
Asked about the contestants, Holly told how Harry Redknapp “just delivers” and she was a bit obsessed with watching him. She had a word of warning about two others though and she added: “Nick has obviously had a word with himself, but I think that is going to drop. And John is completely bonkers.”
Dec said: “We haven’t had a screamer like Emily for years.
“She’s one of those who overcomes things in the end.”