The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Ant back in jungle after stint in rehab
Television: I’mACelebrity... GetMeOutOfHerereturns
Gerry Adams has announced his intention to step down as Sinn Fein president in 2018.
The 69-year-old republican veteran told the annual Sinn Fein Ard Fheis conference in Dublin it would be his last as leader, and a meeting of the party would be called next year to elect a successor.
He has been party president since 1983. Ant McPartlin declared it was “good to be back” as he returned to television screens for the first time since his stint in rehab.
The star appeared alongside co-presenter Declan Donnelly as the 2017 series of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! got under way on ITV.
The pair addressed McPartlin’s time in rehab at the start of the show, with Donnelly joking that he would be co-hosting the reality programme with Holly Willoughby.
As McPartlin looked in- credulous, asking “What?!”, Donnelly explained it was an old script, saying: “Well nobody was sure if you would make it or not.”
McPartlin – who had treatment following his two- year addiction to painkillers – said he was always going to return, saying: “I’m back, my friend” as they hugged.
He added that “good to be back”.
The line-up of hopefuls this year includes Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine and Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas, along with Made In Chelsea’s it was Georgia “Toff ” Toffolo and comedian Shappi Khorsandi.
They are joined by Boris Johnson’s father Stanley Johnson, boxer Amir Khan, Saturdays singer Vanessa White and YouTube personality Jack Maynard.
From the sports world, ex-footballer Dennis Wise and Rebekah Vardy, wife of England footballer Jamie, are also taking part.
Boxer Amir Khan said there was a “new king in town” as he entered I’m A Celebrity.
The sports star said his “mental strength” should benefit him on the ITV show as he always wants to win.
“The jungle better watch out because there is a new king in town, they don’t call me Amir King Khan for nothing,” he said.
Nicola Sturgeon appeared to refer to reports that former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale is to appear on I’m A Celebrity as she posted a message on Twitter about the show.
The first minister tweeted: “So it seems I might have briefly tuned into a never-watched-before celebrity TV show tonight under false pretences....”
She added the hashtags “#confused #ImACeleb”.
The show got under way on ITV last night, with Ms Dugdale not one of the celebrities taking part so far.
“Thejungle betterwatchout becausethere isanewking”