In this series of I'm a Celebrity, set in South Africa, there is no public vote with show favourites at risk of being dropped during tough survival challenges or if fellow campmates vote them off. In tonight's episode (Tuesday May 9) of the spin-off to crown a 'legend' from over the past 20 years, former EastEnders star Joe Swash became the latest jungle favourite to be axed.
The 41-year-old lost their place on the show just days before the big final on Friday following a survival task. He left the camp following exit on Monday night of Coronation Street star Andy Whyment and Made In Chelsea's Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo.
@LauraGarside tweeted: "No not Joe Swash." Abistheory2 said: "That's it. I dont want to watch it now. Toff and now Joe." And @xSuzy1979x said: "Gutted Joe Swash is out."
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As he left the jungle Joe said he 'knew' it was time to leave after dreaming about his children. "I started dreaming about the kids and you know that's when it's tme to go back and tell them you love them," he said.
Asked after his exit about his return to the show after winning I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here! set in Australia in 2008, he said: "It was quite an overwhelming experience as well because the jungle means so much to me. As in, I worked on it for over a decade, I met my wife on there, I’ve now had children.
"It was so nice to go back in there. It all sort of came back to me how much the show has done for me. It was lovely. It was really nice to go back and sort of say thank you."
Joe had been tipped to win after becoming emotional about his wife Stacey Solomon and their children. Joe, who played Mickey Miller in the BBC soap from 2003 to 2008, was in tears as he spoke of missing his family back home in the pre-recorded show, which was filmed last September.
He admitted to the camp if it wasn't for his previous experience as King of the Jungle he would never have met his wife, who won the 2010 series, while he was presenting its sister show Extra Camp. The couple married last July in the gardens of their home Pickle Cottage.
They have three children Rex, three, Rose, one and Belle who was born in February. He told his campmates: "Honestly, I genuinely feel like I’m the biggest winner ever from anyone who’s done this show. It gave me my wife, my kids, a career for over a decade.”
He added: "I have two amazing kids, me and Stacey have had since we’ve been in the jungle. I feel like I’ve won this already. I don’t know where I would be without it. I’d just be that dude that was on EastEnders years ago. Now, I’m Stacey Solomon’s husband.”
On her Instagram Stacey shared a clip of herself catching up on the show and watching his heartfelt words and she captioned it: "To the moon and back @realjoeswashy for always."
I'm A Celebrity...South Africa continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, catch up on the full series on ITVX.
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