I’m a Celebrity... South Africa is now in full swing with some of the most memorable campmates assembled in the jungle for a second time. Instead of Australia, Ant and Dec are hosting the new ITV spin-off show in South Africa’s Kruger National Park instead, and already tensions are emerging.
In Monday’s episode, the contestants welcomed a new campmate, I’m A Celeb legend Gillian McKeith. The Scottish nutritionist joined Carol Vorderman, Shaun Ryder, Helen Flanagan, Janice Dickinson, Amir Khan, Jordan Banjo, Fatima Whitbread, Paul Burrell, and Phil Tufnell in the camp as a surprise at the end of the show, and Happy Mondays and Black Grape frontman Shaun's face fell.
Gillian was a contestant in the 2010 series and the pair had a turbulent relationship. “I was very surprised. I probably could have done without it being Gillian, yeah," Shaun admitted about her arrival in Tuesday's episode. While Gillian said: “How do I feel about Shaun Ryder being here? I said hello, he said hello, it was all very cordial. What can I say?”
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Paul quizzed Shaun about his experience of being in camp with Gillian, asking: “Is she as mad as a box of frogs?” And Shaun replied: “Yeah… I nearly killed her."
Later Gillian complained about the state of the camp 'long drop' toilet and people 'widdling' on the seat. "It's disgusting." she moaned. But her complaint raised eyebrows for viewers who reminded that Gillian used to be seen on TV inspecting faeces on the Channel Four show You Are What You Eat in the noughties.
@jomariemiles tweeted: "Gillian saying the dunny is gross! She used to examine (poo emojis)." and @adammarkrobson exclaimed: "Gillian, you made a living from poop you should be in your element!"
@clfvegan said: "Gillian M used to poke through the poop of strangers every week, and she’s moaning about a long drop!!!" @BobbyGlennie questioned: "Seriously Gillian whose spent hours sifting through people's s**** saying anything is disgusting ..... nah no way." And @xamy_elizabeth said: "I don’t know why Gillian is so bothered about the poo… isn’t this the same woman who used to inspect peoples poo on national tv?!"
Gillian and Shaun clashed with the Madchester icon labelling her “irritating” and “a bit of a d***". The pair butted heads during a trial in which they were forced to stand in freezing water, as Shaun branded Gillian “a f***ing irritating woman.”
A frustrated Gillian replied: “You say nasty things all the time... your tone, everything. The way you speak to everyone.”Another tense moment came when Gillian asked Shaun not to smoke in front of her. The singer responded: “You f***ing what? I’ll smoke where I want, you can go in the f***ing toilet.
“I smoke where I want, don’t tell me where I can’t smoke.” When she asked him not to swear in front of her, Shaun snapped back: “I’ll f***ing swear when I want to swear so f*** off.”
Shaun later apologised for his part in the row and admitted his language was “horrible.” When she was voted off the show, Gillian told Ant and Dec the pair had a “love-hate” relationship and was sometimes “frightened” of him.
In his 2011 autobiography, Shaun described Gillian as “a bit of a d***” who “just had no manners.” He also admitted during the show that he thought Gillian had some redeeming qualities, as he joked about how he would murder her if they were married, The Mirror reported.
He said: “The thing about Gillian that redeems her is that she has a sense of humour. If Gillian was my wife, she would be in pieces in a plastic bag, deep in a hole in the back garden.”
Later in Tuesday's episode the pair appeared to bond as they took part in the challenge 'Chest Challenge' together. @JakeWar301 remaked: "Shaun and Gillian the duo I didn’t know I needed." And @Dee_Cee95x pointed out: "Shaun Ryder and Gillian McKeith working together and getting along."
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