Boy George is emerging as the jungle "villain" among I'm A Celebrity fans as speculation grows that the first campmate will be evicted tonight. The former pop star and DJ's unpopularity among viewers had him trending on Twitter this morning (Friday, November 18).
Feeling against George, 61, started to grow when fans accused him of hypocrisy for objecting to being questioned about his own past, while being happy to see former Health Secretary Matt Hancock quizzed. The Manchester Evening News reported that he complained when TV presenter Scarlette Douglas quizzed him on his notorious 2008 court case and prison sentence.
Insiders still see Hancock, who the public have repeatedly chosen for Bush Tucker Trials, as the favourite to be the first campmate evicted, reported the Daily Mirror. The newspaper cited social media posts from the gossip site Politicalite quoting ITV sources as saying an eviction could take place tonight.
The gossip site reported: "IAC sources added that they think Tory MP Matt Hancock will be the first to leave I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! after the public voted for him to take part in his sixth Bushtucker trial on Sunday."
In 2008, Boy George, whose real name is George Alan O’Dowd, was convicted of assault and false imprisonment, and served four months of a 15-month jail sentence. While chatting in camp as they prepared food, Scarlette asked him: "What happened with you, BG, and some guy in handcuffs and a radiator?"
To which Boy George quickly replied: "That’s not true." Scarlette replied: “I don’t know the story, I just heard radiator, handcuffs…" And he again told her: “It’s not true, no radiators." George added: "Handcuffs is true but the radiator bit wasn’t true, but thanks for bringing it up."
Scarlette apologised, saying: “Sorry, it wouldn’t surprise me if that was a fake story." To which the Culture Club singer replied: "Sometimes these things, they go into the ether, and people keep saying them and they become folklore."
He was clearly unhappy as, speaking in the Bush Telegraph, he said: "Scarlette blatantly talked about my court case. I thought it was inappropriate what she did, actually. I thought she shouldn’t have said what she said to me. And I thought I handled it really well as it’s a big sore point for me when people say things like that."
Later, George shared his irritation with Scarlette again when the presenter and property expert, 35, tried to divert the conversation as he questioned Hancock, 44, about arms spending. George responded: "She’s trying to save you, very interesting."
I'm A Celebrity viewers on social media were quick to voice their irritation at him. @bernielizabeth.est1993 tweeted: "So they can all question and judge Matt and expect him to answer, but Boy George gets all defensive when Scarlett asks about his past? Double standards?!"
Another Twitter user was quick to use the words of the Culture Club song Karma Chameleon - "I'm a man without conviction" - to mock the singer.
@sarahjane_cox commented: "Oh dear George didn't like that!!! Ok to talk about others though." @callumgriggs03 wrote: "Let’s be real George is annoyed because of Scarlette bringing up his past not because she’s shutting conversations down."
@Emma1240 tweeted: "So its ok for Boy George to say what he wants. But if anyone dares to question him about his scandal it’s inappropriate. He is such a hypocrite."
George, who has previously said he was high on cocaine and having a breakdown at the time of his attack on a male escort at his London flat and has been clean of drugs since that time, is also drawing flak from viewers for other reasons, including his Buddhist meditation chanting and attention-seeking.
Twitter user @kxynekiwi wrote: "I feel like Boy George is the worst possible representation of Buddhism. A religion that is built on deep spiritual peace and a calm mind... every other thing he says is bitchy, causing problems with others & moaning he hasn't got his own way. It's just all for attention."
@natalieayris tweeted "I may dislike Chris (Moyles) but that eye roll just then perfectly represented the nation whenever Boy George opens his mouth." And @Miss_Dede_Lou chipped in: "I think my year would be made if Boy George went out first, just so he knows he isn't quite the icon he thinks he is. Also if he goes before Matt he'll be furious."
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