I’m A Celebrity…South Africa is a brand new show which sees the return of some of the most memorable campmates from I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in the brand new setting of South Africa.
There will be many more celebrities taking part in the series but viewers will have to watch to find out who they are and when they will enter the camp.
All the campmates survived the Australian jungle, but South Africa is an even harder proposition which will push them to their limits and test them like never before. The challenges are bigger and tougher and the environment harsher and more unforgiving.
With no public vote, they will be competing against each other in a battle to become the first ever ‘I’m A Celebrity Legend’.
Former professional boxer Amir Khan has vowed to be a lot tougher in the South African camp and not secretly eat any treats behind his campmates’ backs as he admits he still gets stopped over his infamous ‘Strawberry Gate’ antics five years on.
The 35-year-old sportsman was caught tucking into a plate of strawberries with comedian Iain Lee on his way back to the Australian camp in 2017 after the pair successfully won a Dingo Dollar challenge. At the time, his antics caused uproar amongst the rest of his campmates, including eventual winner Georgia Toffolo, and it famously became known as ‘Strawberry Gate’.
Now five years on, Amir reveals he still receives bowls of strawberries as gifts. “I don’t regret one bit what I did,” he admits. “I was starving at the time and it was fun and boisterous! It caused a lot of commotion in camp, but I couldn’t believe how big it became in the UK! Still to this day, I get people talking about it and coming over to me with gifts of strawberry bowls.”
Amir goes on to explain one of the main reasons why he signed up for the South African version of I’m A Celebrity is that he wants to have another shot at the Bushtucker Trials.
“I let myself down by saying ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ in one of the Trials in Australia,” he says. “I got scared last time and I want to go in again and come out as the main man – the champion. I am in this to win it.”
Amir admits the Australian version of the show helped him overcome his fears. “It helped me overcome my fear of spiders and snakes,” he says. “The spiders looked unreal in Australia but when I came back, everything seemed easier to handle! It made me stronger emotionally too. Being away from your family took its toll and it wasn’t easy but I did it.”
Looking ahead to his time in the South African camp, Amir – who has visited the country once before when he went to watch England play in the World Cup – says he is expecting life to be tougher and if anything, scarier.
“The South African jungle is different to Australia,” Amir explains. “You’ve got lions, leopards and goodness knows what. Imagine standing in front of them?! It’s going to require more strength to block out your emotions when you are feeling scared. It will be harder, but I think I will cope well because I am going in knowing Australia helped me overcome a lot of things.”
Referring to his legendary world champion track record in the boxing ring, Amir says he will bring plenty of fighting spirit to camp life. “It’s going to be like stepping into a ring and I am sure I will be fine,” vows the boxer.
“The first thing I will say to Ant and Dec when I arrive? I will give them a big hug and then promise them: ‘I am back and I am going to be different this time. I am not going to be a soft me. I am going to be a tough me.”
He says whenever he is approached by fellow celebrities seeking advice on whether to take part or not, he always tells them to say yes immediately. “Doing I’m A Celebrity is the best thing you will ever do,” he adds. “You will get to know yourself a lot more and you will get to know what you like and dislike in life. I would advise everyone to do the show.
It’s such a brilliant experience and my best stand-out moment will always be the Trials. They are so amazing to watch and now I’ve taken part in them.”
Grateful to be given the chance again, he adds: “I am not going to be a pushover. I came fifth last time but I want to go all the way in South Africa.”
‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ starts on Monday 24th April 2023 on ITV at 9pm.
