I’m A Celebrity… South Africa camp says farewell to two contestants

By PA Reporters

Former I’m A Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo confessed to missing her former jungle campmate Stanley Johnson, the father of former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, after she exited the South African instalment of the ITV programme.

The Made In Chelsea star, 28, better known as “Toff”, was among the famous faces and former I’m A Celebrity contestants who returned to compete in the all-star edition of the reality series to battle it out to become the first I’m A Celebrity Legend.

During Monday night’s episode, viewers saw Toff and Coronation Street star Andy Whyment sent home after losing out in a head-to-head battle with Myleene Klass and Jordan Banjo.

Speaking after leaving the show, Toff said: “I got on really well with everyone, especially with the girls. I am going to say I really did miss Stanley Johnson. I never thought I would say that, but I really did.

“I think when you make a special friend like I did last time, you’re seeking it out. I love the company of older people, I think it’s a privilege to be around them.”

Toffolo won I’m A Celebrity in 2017, beating Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas in the final, during a series which saw her and former Conservative MEP Stanley strike up a close friendship.

After braving the Australian jungle, the duo went on to star in a number of other reality shows together, including Celebrity Hunted and Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Toff added: “And whether it was Carol Vorderman, I loved her because when the days were dragging on, we’d sit and talk about anything that would sort of satisfy our intellectual hunger, which was so nice.

“I got on really well with Paul Burrell. I mean, the stories about the royals are so up my street.

“I think I now know everything about the royal family, which is amazing. I wouldn’t say there was one person in particular this time, it felt like we were all sort of collaboratively getting on really well.”

Former royal butler Burrell was the runner-up in the 2004 series and previously said of his experience on the show: “I went into the jungle as Princess Diana’s former butler and I came out as Paul Burrell.”

Former king of the jungle Joe Swash, who was victorious during the 2008 instalment, became emotional in footage shown on Monday night’s episode as he recalled his time in the Australian and South African I’m A Celebrity shows.

The EastEnders star, 41, met his now wife, TV star Stacey Solomon, on the show after she won the 2010 series, during which he was presenting the show’s spin-off series.

He said: “Honestly, I genuinely feel like I’m the biggest winner ever from anyone who’s done this show. It gave me my wife, my kids, a career for over a decade.”

Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, he added: “I find it hard to talk about the jungle without getting emotional … I wear my heart on my sleeve anyway. You’re going to have to bear with me.”

A homesick Swash, who now has three children with Solomon (daughters Rose and Belle, and son Rex), said in camp: “Growing up, all I wanted to be was a dad and have a family. Then the jungle came along … I met my wife on the jungle.”

He added: “I feel like I’ve won this already. I don’t know where I would be without it. I’d just be that dude that was on EastEnders years ago. Now, I’m Stacey Solomon’s husband.”

He also told the Bush Telegraph: “I feel very blessed, very lucky. It was my chance to come back and say thank you. You pulled me through some really dark times and gave me everything I ever wanted.”

The campmates learnt that Janice Dickinson had left the show after injuring herself, with actress Helen Flanagan reading a message from the American model and saying: “I think we’re all going to really miss Janice.”

Soap star Whyment, who was the runner-up in the 2019 series of I’m A Celebrity, said of his favourite moment in this series: “I’d say going into main camp and meeting everyone for the first time because I came in as a late arrival, as I did in 2019.

“Sadly, a short time later Ant and Dec came in and dropped the bombshell that we had to do a trial and whoever lost went home so that kind of changed my mood… And doing the trials. That’s what you go in there for isn’t it?

“For me, there is no point in just going in there and sitting in camp. I arrived as a latecomer and did three trials and a Chest Challenge – I think that’s what it’s all about.

“You’ve got to go in there and throw yourself into it. That’s what I did and that’s what I did the first time, too.”

I’m A Celebrity…South Africa continues on ITV1, and viewers can catch up on the full series on ITVX.