KING HARRY

'I've won and got Xmas surprise for wife Sandra'

JUNGLE king Harry Redknapp plans to spoil his family rotten this Christmas with his earnings from the show.

The football boss wants to make the festive season “extra special” after spending so much time away from them.

His three-week stint in Australia is the longest he has ever gone without speaking to wife Sandra in 54 years.

And Harry wants to spend a good chunk of his reported £500,000 pay cheque on making up for lost time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

The 71-year-old, who beat actress Emily Atack and third-placed actor John Barrowman last night, has only had a handful of proper Christmas Days with his loved ones in the last 50 years.

A source close to the Redknapps said: “As a football family, Christmas has always had to play second fiddle for Harry and Sandra.

“Family is important but football is their living. Now Harry is retired he is desperate to make up for lost time. His Jungle experience is bound to make for some good stories round the fire.”

Dinner

Harry has previously admitted the festive season is a nightmare for footballers.

He said: “Christmas is the busiest time of the year for football. It meant that I was rarely up for a sociable or even happy Christmas.

“The teams would always train on Christmas Day and, if we had been beaten a few days earlier, I would be miserable.

“We’ve had some c**p Christmases. The job does consume your life.

“You would hear your wife or your family talking to you about something else, but you would very often find that you had not listened to a word they had said.”

It is, however, unlikely Harry will be cooking the dinner. He revealed he only learnt how to wash up during his stay in the Jungle after advice from Nick Knowles.

Meanwhile publishers are said to be “queuing up” to sign Harry up for a new book deal after his triumph in the Jungle.