Former EastEnders stars Joe Swash and Dean Gaffney join I’m a Celebrity tomorrow tonight, both vowing to make their children proud.
The dads are late entries to the series in South Africa and had memorable appearances in the Australian version.
Joe, 41, won I’m a Celeb in 2008 before hosting the spin-off show where he met 2010 jungle queen Stacey Solomon.
The couple share three children and three stepkids, and married in 2022.
One of the reasons for Joe’s return is so his family can watch him take on challenges in South Africa’s bush.
He said: “My eldest son Harry was one when I did the jungle and he is 16 now.
“I want the kids to watch I’m a Celebrity...South Africa and for both of us to be able to tell them, ‘I’m A Celebrity is where Mummy and Daddy met’.
“The jungle is always going to be a big part of our family.”
Joe had Harry from a previous relationship while Stacey shares sons Zachary, 15, and Leigh, 10, with ex-lovers. In 2019, the pair welcomed Rex, three, before having Rose, one, and two-month-old Belle.
Joe said appearing on the ITV show was a huge turning point in his life and career. He added: “Before, I thought of myself as an imposter and felt I wasn’t meant to be there. Doing the jungle gave me the confidence to believe in myself.
“I can’t express enough my gratitude for the fact I met Stacey on the back of it, had my kids and it gave me a whole different direction with my career.
“Doing the All-Stars series is closure. It finishes the circle.”
Meanwhile, Dean, 45, hopes that he won’t embarrass his twins Charlotte and Chloe, 27, following a hilarious trial in 2006.
Fans watched him yell as he dunked his head in a bowl for a hair wash with cockroaches, remove stars with his feet while surrounded by crabs, and put his hand in a box of green ants.
He said: “My daughters were 10 when I did the Australian jungle and they didn’t care if I screamed or not.
“They are 27 now and I think if I was screaming they’d be a bit embarrassed.
“Every year, my trial gets wheeled out as one of the best moments. Even if I want to forget it, I can’t.
“I don’t know what to expect this time round. I’m just really looking forward to what South Africa is going to bring.”
A nervous Joe and Dean have to do a trial called Flipping
Disgusting before joining their campmates.
Hosts Ant and Dec branded it “the most disgusting trial ever”, adding it is “TV gold”.
Viewers can watch the results tomorrow night on ITV at 9pm.
