By Dolly Busby, Showbiz Reporter In Queensland, Australia
10:43 12 Nov 2023, updated 12:22 12 Nov 2023
Nigel Farage was the first celebrity to arrive in Australia ahead of the new series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
The Brexit Party founder, 58, is the first confirmed campmate to enter the jungle as he led the stars arriving into the airport on Sunday.
Josie Gibson, 38, is the the second confirmed campmate as she was spotted arriving into Australia, not long after Nigel.
The other mystery celebrity campmates have also begun to land Down Under ahead of the 2023 series launch date of Sunday, November 19.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have already touched down to start rehearsing for the show.
Nigel, who will become the series’ highest paid contestant ever, touched down at 9.45am following a 20-hour flight from London this morning to become the first confirmed camp mate for this series.
Nigel has paid a staggering £1.5 million for his time in the jungle where he will face frightening Bushtucker trials where he will be forced to eat pigs testicles and deer’s blood.
He was all smiles as he revealed that he had made the decision to take part so he could engage with potential young voters who want to hear his political views.
Speaking to the MailOnline, he said: ‘I just think there’s a big young audience out there that watches the programme.
‘They’re people who are worth talking to and I’ve been messing around with TikTok for the past couple of months and you’d be surprised there are a lot of people out there who are interested in what I have to say. So that would be the reason, if you do see me there.’
When asked if he had watched fellow MP Matt Hancock on last year’s series, he replied: ‘Who didn’t?’
ITV insiders reveal that they hope the decision to pay him the seven-figure sum will ensure this series is as popular as last year’s which starred Matt Hancock.
It comes as ITV hope that their investment in the former MP pays off, while those close to Farage insist he will be worth every penny – particularly since he has become a TikTok. sensation and become popular with Generation Z.
One ‘ITV need him more than he needs them. His TikTok has taken off in quite a big way and his social media presence on platforms that appeal to a younger audience has exponentially expanded within the last six to nine months and he is reaching that younger demographic.
‘One of ITV’s biggest priorities is to capture the younger viewers so Nigel will be a huge driver for that.’
The source close to Nigel continued: ‘Off the back of Matt Hancock’s relative success they had to fill this void.’
Last year, the former Health Secretary’s arrival into the jungle heralded a 300,000 boost in viewing figures with a peak of 9.1 million tuning in to watch his first appearance and Bushtucker trial.
Nigel’s deal was brokered by his friend and 2017 Jungle Queen Georgia Toffolo who tripled the original £500,000 fee that ITV offered.
It comes former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss turned down big money offers to appear on the reality show.
Nigel’s surge in popularity is thanks to social media platform TikTok where he has 379,000 followers and his videos amassing 6.5 million likes.
Farage even canvassed opinion on the social media site over whether he should sign for I’m A Celeb.
One wrote: ‘I’ll watch it this year for Nigel,’ while others have hailed him the ‘Goat’ – an acronym for Greatest of all Time.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
