OFFICIAL PAPER THERE’LL BE

Probe as star voted off show after ‘blunder’

ANGRY ITV bosses have launched an inquest into Noel Edmonds’ shock early departure from I’m A Celebrity.

The telly legend lasted just nine days in the jungle despite his eye-watering record fee of £600,000.

Producers had talked him up as one of the biggest signings in the show’s history.

But he fell at the first hurdle in a slimmed down public vote against just five campmates as the remaining stars were excluded from the poll after winning safety in the “Immunity Games”. And an insider told the Daily Star Sunday bosses in London are demanding answers into how their big money investment was left “exposed” in the vote. Having Noel in the show cost them a £66,000 a day. Our source said: “The Immunity Games were a daft idea. It meant dead certs to go got a free pass and put the big names at risk.

“It’s an expensive mistake and questions will have to be answered. “If he was up against Malique or Sair it would have been a different story.” There was said to be genuine shock backstage after Noel was voted off. Bosses thought he would make the way to the final and did not consider him in danger at all.

But Noel’s wife Liz is delighted he is out of the show. She said yesterday: “I thought he was going to go, I don’t know why, it’s just a feeling but I think it will be for the good.

“Lots of people in the country might be sad and angry he has been voted out but I’m really pleased. “There is a reason for everything and usually around Noel those reasons turn out to be very positive.” Noel, 69, is expected to rake in millions from a book, endorsements and an offer to be a YouTube fitness guru. Liz added: “At least people have seen the Noel that I know, the Noel that I see every day. He is a joker and so much fun.”

But his fellow celebrities did not share Liz’s joy at Noel’s departure.

Rock star Liam Gallagher insisted: “There’s only one Noel Edmonds. As you were.” While Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine said: “I literally can not believe Noel Edmonds is out of the jungle.” And TV presenter and former jungle star Matthew Wright fumed: “What the hell is wrong with the British public – how can Noel Edmonds go first?? The most entertaining camp mate of the bunch! Gutted.”

DAILY STAR SUNDAY SAYS – PAGE 6