Tindall and Co, ready to scrum down in the jungle
HE is ready to cause a royal ‘rumble’ in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity.
But sleeping in a hammock with kangaroo testicles for food might prove a struggle for Mike Tindall – who is used to living in luxury on Princess Anne’s Gloucestershire estate.
The former England rugby star, 44, who is married to Anne’s daughter Zara Phillips, posed with other I’m A Celebrity campmates in a photo released to promote the new series last night.
He will be joined in the Australian jungle by nine other stars including 1980s chart-topper Boy George, 61, and veteran radio DJ Chris Moyles, 48.
Tindall said he might enjoy I’m A Celebrity’s famous bushtucker trials – which see campmates compete in gruelling challenges to earn food rewards. He said the trials were a chance to have some ‘protein’ and ‘get food in you’.
He admitted: ‘It is sinking in now that I am taking part. I am ready to rumble! I have been asked on numerous occasions to take part. The timing was right this year and Hask [fellow rugby star James Haskell] did the show and he had been talking about it.’
The 2003 World Cup winner and MBE holder, who has three children with Zara, added ‘first and foremost’ he will miss his family.
He said: ‘I will miss my bed too and a nice breakfast. I don’t think I am too bothered about sleeping in a hammock but it will be interesting as I wouldn’t say I am someone who falls asleep anywhere. But I have slept in a hammock before and it is something your body will get used to in time.’ I’m A Celebrity, which is hosted by Ant and Dec, is returning Down Under for the first time since 2019. It relocated to a castle in Wales after Covid struck. Fans of the show can now vote for who they want to become Jungle VIPs – ‘Very Isolated People’ – who will spend their first night stranded on an island and be faced with the opening bushtucker trial. The ITV series starts on Sunday, November 6 at 9pm. The show, which has been a huge ratings hit since its launch in 2002, was won last year by Emmerdale actor Danny Miller, 31.
The new campmates are:
1. Mike Tindall
The former England rugby player previously appeared on reality
The Jump and Bear Grylls: Mission Survive. He admitted he will miss his family, bed and a ‘nice breakfast’ but stressed he will be the ‘morning motivator’ around camp. He said he is looking forward to the trials.
2. Owen Warner
The actor, 23, found fame in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. He expects to struggle as he has to miss his twice-weekly haircuts while in the jungle. Revealing that lack of food will be his biggest challenge, he said he will ‘make the most’ of extras he gets in the trials. He insisted he does not want to cause tension but ‘will say something’ if a campmate is ‘out of order’.
3. Olivia Attwood
The ITV2 presenter starred in Love Island in 2017 and The Only
Way Is Essex. The former model, 31, has spoken previously about cosmetic procedures she has undergone but said she wants to show people she is not high maintenance and is ‘happy to muck in’. She added it will be nice to have a ‘digital detox’ and not be a ‘prisoner’ to her phone.
4. Charlene White
The ITV newsreader, 42, has been a Loose Women panellist since 2021. The mother-of-two confessed she will get teary being away from her children and said her partner was shocked that she was taking part. She does not mind ‘falling into’ the position of ‘mum and cook’ in the camp.
5. Boy George
The singer, 61, scored huge hits with 1980s band Culture Club and was later a top DJ. The star, who says he is in a ‘very fertile creative moment in my life’, customised his I’m A Celeb outfit for the photoshoot with big red spots. He admitted he is ‘fascinated’ by bugs and the jungle and might even cry if he sees something beautiful.
6. Scarlette Douglas
The TV presenter, 35, started out in musical theatre before joining A Place In The Sun as a property expert in 2015. She said she will miss listening to music and she will be the camp’s peacemaker if arguments break out. She added: ‘I will want to say “Let’s calm down! You are hungry, I am tired. Let’s park it and move on”.’
7. Sue Cleaver
The Coronation Street star, 59, has played Eileen Grimshaw for 22 years. She said she wanted to take on a new ‘challenge’ and ‘shake things up’ as she approaches her 60th birthday. Miss Cleaver said her new grandson, who arrived days before she jetted off to Australia, will spur her on.
8. Chris Moyles
The loudmouth DJ, 48, who presented his breakfast show on Radio 1 for eight years, joined Radio X in 2015. He said he hopes to bring ‘humour’ to the camp as an ‘entertainer’ to ‘shorten everyone’s boredom’. Moyles revealed he is petrified of heights but is ready for people to vote for him to do ‘all manner of disgusting trials’.
9. Babatunde Aleshe
The comedian, 36, starred alongside fellow funnyman Mo Gilligan in Celebrity Gogglebox and has also taken on acting roles in New Tricks, EastEnders and Dr Who. He said he is so terrified of ‘absolutely everything’ that it took several attempts for him to agree to go on the show. He even considered getting hypnosis to overcome his fears.
10. Jill Scott
The retired footballer, 35, was part of England’s winning team in the Euros this year. She also played for Sunderland, Everton and Manchester City. She said she will miss her cup of tea in the morning but is ready to be a ‘helping hand’ in the camp. Miss Scott added that she was there to have a good time and would be happy for whoever did well in the competition. The 5ft 11in star was made an MBE for services to football in 2020.