I'm A Celebrity fans have been left baffled by former winner Joe Swash's absence from the line-up for the new All Stars series, despite the fact he was 'revealed' to be involved as result of a live TV slip-up last year.
Former EastEnders actor Joe became King of the Jungle in 2008, seeing off competition from the likes of tennis great Martina Navratilova and Star Trek icon George Takei to triumph Down Under; making him an ideal candidate to return for the All Stars special, which was filmed in South Africa last year, prior to I'm A Celeb going back to Australia for the first time in three years.
However, Joe, whose wife Stacey Solomon is also a previous I'm A Celebrity champion, was noticeably absent from the list of contestants, as they were revealed as part of a massive surprise on this weekend's Saturday Night Takeaway. The I'm A Celebrity All Stars line-up includes Shaun Ryder, Jordan Banjo, Carol Vorderman and Helen Flanagan, with Janice Dickinson, Paul Burrell, Phil Tufnell, Amir Khan and Fatima Whitbread also announced to take part.
READ MORE: I'm A Celebrity All Stars line-up announced on Saturday Night Takeaway
The reason Joe's absence from the line-up came as so much of surprise is the fact he was pretty much 'confirmed' as being a contestant on All Stars by Loose Women star Linda Robson, when he appeared on the ITV show in October last yar.
As he sat on the panel Birds of a Feather Linda asked him: "You've been away for a little while haven't you?" Looking alarmed, Joe calmly replied: "Yeah I've been away for a little while Lind," as Linda continued: "You're not allowed to say where you was or what you were doing," as Joe joked: "I knew you'd get there in the end Lind!"
Realising what she'd done, Linda then shouted: "Change the subject!" with her colleague Judi Love commenting: "Never tell Linda any secrets!"
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