Nigel Farage has come third on ITV1 reality show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
This year’s finalists were reality star and radio presenter Sam Thompson, former Ukip leader Farage, and former professional boxer Tony Bellew.
On hearing the news he would be leaving the jungle, the former Brexit Party leader, 59, said: “Thank you very much,” and to his fellow finalists he added: “Well done, boys.”
Speaking to hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Farage revealed why he decided to take part in the show this year, having been asked in previous years.
“I had time to do it and I’m 60 next birthday and going to reach an age where you can’t do it”, he said.
Nigel laid bare in the Jungle and kept his head above water to become a ‘remainer’! 🤠 Your votes mean the ex-politician finishes in 3rd place! 🥉 #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/X7yb6T16XD
— I'm A Celebrity... (@imacelebrity) December 10, 2023
“This is very physical, bringing buckets of water, doing the challenges, so now was the right time to do it and I’m very pleased I did.
“I did my best to show no fear at all in the challenges.”
Speaking on the topic of Brexit, he added: “It was interesting, obviously there were people there that took very different views on Brexit and other subjects and I never raised one political debate in there.
“Not one in the whole time I was there, others did with me, but I think I managed to persuade them that we should respect the right of the other person to have a different point of view.
“I had no screaming arguments, I mean Fred wanted to have screaming arguments, he kept on sort of poking me with a stick.”
Earlier in the episode, Farage kept a cool head while he was locked in the “panic pit”, an underground metal box filled with snakes, for his final bushtucker trial.
He joked: “Lots of people would like the snake to strangle me, I suppose. Their dream might come true.”
Asked where he was going “in his head”, he said: “I’m thinking about things I’ve done in my life that were worse than this,” adding he was thinking about the plane crash he was in.
Asked if he had dealt with a lot of snakes in his time, he said: “European Parliament was stuffed with them, terrible lot.”
For his last trial, Bellew, 41, had to take on “stakeout” and was strapped down to a giant plate where he was made to endure jungle critters and fish guts.
Bellew, who shouted that the challenge was “a disgrace” said the critters were biting his leg and added: “I’m someone else’s starter right now.”
Former Made In Chelsea star Thompson, 31, ate items including pig and camel genitals when he took part in his final trial.
In the eating challenge, the TV personality was also faced with a scorpion and Thompson ate the entire critter, including the sting.
Presenter Declan Donnelly joked: “If it stings on the way out, just give the medics a call.”
At the beginning of the episode, Farage joked he is “now a remainer” as he spoke about becoming a finalist on I’m A Celebrity.
The former Brexit Party leader, who was an advocate for leaving the EU, said in the Bush Telegraph: “I’m now a remainer, a camp remainer that is. I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the last three.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Coming Out airs Wednesday December 13 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
