Sam Thompson wins I’m A Celebrity final as Nigel Farage comes third
Sam Thompson has won this year’s final of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here with Nigel Farage finishing in third place.
Made in Chelsea star Mr Thompson had battled it out with boxer Tony Bellew and former Ukip leader Mr Farage after avoiding eviction in the public vote.
After winning, he leapt into the arms of runner-up Mr Bellew and said: “I’m really overwhelmed, I didn’t think I was even going to be invited on this show.”
Speaking to voters, he said: “I am so grateful, thank you so much, I’ve dreamt of doing this show for years and years and you made this boy’s dream come true.”
After hearing the news he had come third, Mr Farage said: “Thank you very much,” and to his fellow finalists he added: “Well done boys.”
It comes amid growing speculation about whether Mr Farage could mount a political comeback – either as leader of Reform UK, currently headed by his ally Richard Tice, or as part of the Conservative Party if it drifts further right after the next election.
Leaving the camp after 23 days, Mr Farage said: “The legs are a bit weary,” as he tucked into a glass of champagne.
Speaking about 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.
Before the result was announced, Mr Farage had joked he is “now a remainer” as he spoke about becoming a finalist to decide who would be crowned ‘King of the Jungle’
“A camp remainer that is. I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the last three,” the ex-Brexit Party leader said.
He was later locked in an underground metal box filled with snakes for his final bushtucker trial and joked: “Lots of people would like the snake to strangle me, I suppose. Their dream might come true.”
He said: “I’m thinking about things I’ve done in my life that were worse than this,” adding that 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.”
Mr Bellew was covered in buckets of mealworms, fish guts, offal, cockroaches, scorpions and spiders as he completed his final bushtucker trial.
During the trial he cursed everyone on the set, exclaiming: “Why am I picked for this?” and branding the crew “disgusting bad people”, adding: “This is a disgrace.”
On Saturday, This Morning host Josie Gibson became the seventh contestant to be voted out of the jungle with JLS singer Marvin Humes and ex-EastEnders star Danielle Harold finishing in fifth and sixth place.
During his time in the jungle, Mr Farage has clashed with other campmates, including Thompson and YouTube star Nella Rose.
This year’s I’m a Celebriy lost an average of around two million viewers compared to last year which was won by former Lioness Jill Scott.
Matt Hancock’s political career was scuppered after he appeared on the show, but associates believe Mr Farage – who already has a devoted right-wing following across GB News and his Reform UK party – could leverage the attention into further success.
Tory hardliners currently in rebellion against Rishi Sunak have floated the idea of bringing Mr Farage back into the party fold after the next election as part of a fantasy “dream team” partnership with Boris Johnson.
The Mail on Sunday reports that MPs have privately urged the pair to talk – though a source close to Mr Farage suggested any such pact would “soon end in tears”.
Sir Peter Riddell, the former director of the Institute for Government, said Mr Farage’s support could bolster the right-wing Reform UK, currently polling around 10 per cent, and threaten to further drain votes from the Conservatives.
He said: “We know that Nigel Farage has got star appeal, he’s not a neutral figure, and it’s that appeal that frightens Tory MPs.”
A Reform UK source vowed to “destroy” the Tory party, adding: “When Nigel gets back he’s going to start dominating the agenda. Within about six to eight weeks we’ll be polling in the high teens, and the Tories will start to slip below 20 per cent.
(This story is being updated)
