I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2022 runner-up Owen Warner has opened up about his time in the famous jungle. The Hollyoaks star, who lost out in the final to retired footballer Jill Scott, said he never expected to get as far as he did in the competition.
Speaking to the Loose Women panel on Friday, December 2, Owen explained how he had "no agenda" or any expectations before joining the line-up. "I was just going there for a bucket list thing," he explained. "I wanted to meet Ant and Dec, tick that off, and go on I'm A Celebrity and I was just buzzing."
Owen told the ITV presenters he was expecting to be one of the first out and would have been more than happy with that outcome. Instead, the actor made it to the final, taking on the Cyclone Challenge alongside Jill, Mike Tindall and Matt Hanock before placing second.
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"I just wanted to go there, live the jungle life and experience that," he said after explaining: "I was expecting to be one of the first ones out and I was happy with that, I was more than happy."
Asked if he ever wanted to run, Owen responded: "Not run, but there were a few times where I just thought 'what am I doing here? There's just so many unreal people here with careers that have been crazy sat around telling me stories,' and I thought what have I got to contribute."
Owen, who was surprised by his brothers in Australia after leaving the show, also spoke about life post-jungle. He said: "It's been crazy, even when I was in the top two with Jill my mind couldn't comprehend all this love and support.
"I just never in a million years thought it would be like this and then coming out I had to take a while to turn my phone on because just hearing people saying things was a lot and I was just crying all the time."
He continued: "So many times as soon as I got out I just had to take myself off and have a little cry at just how amazing it was, I just love kind people and beautiful words and there was just so much of that and I didn't expect it."
"You deserve it," presenter Stacey Solomon responded. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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