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Nigel Farage taunted over Brexit in I'm a Celebrity debut
The former Ukip leader took the teasing in his stride – moments before he plunged into “gallons of sticky gunk” during the show's first task
He’s only just made his debut on I’m A Celebrity.
But Nigel Farage has already been taunted over Brexit within moments of his first appearance on the ITV show.
The former Ukip leader was teased by This Morning host Josie Gibson after the pair were dropped into the Outback alongside YouTuber Nella Rose for the first challenge of the series.
The trio were forced to search through “gallons of sticky gunk” in Sunday night’s opening show – with Mr Farage having to use his tongue to move tokens along a metal wire to complete the task.
The GB News presenter said before he went on the programme that he was hoping for a Matt Hancock-style reputation rehabilitation.
In the first episode, it took only a matter of minutes before Mr Farage’s fellow celebrities brought up Brexit and the 59-year-old’s role in convincing the public to vote leave.
A former Member of the European Parliament, Mr Farage was a prominent Leave campaigner in the run up to the UK’s vote to withdraw from the EU in 2016.
Ms Gibson, 38, a former Big Brother winner, was the first campmate to meet Mr Farage, telling him: “I thought this was a good idea until they dropped us off in the middle of nowhere. I’ve never been so petrified.”
To which Mr Farage replied: “It’s something different in life, it’s an adventure. It’s a challenge, it’s not going to be easy, but why not?”
She quickly responded: “It can’t be worse than Brexit”.
Mr Farage took it in his stride, however, as he brushed off the comment by saying: “Oh… didn’t take long did it? Didn’t take long. I had a feeling we’d get a bit of that.”
The trio then drove off for the first challenge of the series in a quest to find tokens for their camp.
They were told two of them would have to search through so-called “hell holes” for the prizes, while the remaining member of the group would be forced to plunge their head into a barrel.
Ms Gibson opted for the latter option, saying: “I’ll take one for the team, I’ll take the barrels. I don’t mind sticking my head in things that don’t belong.”
Mr Farage and Ms Rose, 26, meanwhile, had to push their heads inside the “hell holes” and use their tongues to move tokens along a metal wire.
The former politician and Ms Gibson managed to get all three of theirs, earning six tokens for the campmates, while an unnerved Ms Rose was unable to collect any after being confronted with a large number of snakes.
‘Trousers hitched up real high’
Mr Farage had previously turned down offers of hundreds of thousands of pounds from ITV, but reports suggest he will receive up to £1.5 million as a contestant on the popular reality programme.
It is understood the channel’s executives hope that Mr Farage’s participation will attract the same attention as Mr Hancock’s appearance in last year’s series, which resulted in him being stripped of the Conservative whip amid outcry from his local Conservative association and constituents in West Suffolk.
Also appearing on the show this year are EastEnders actress Danielle Harold, radio presenter Sam Thompson, food critic Grace Dent and TV presenter Fred Sirieix, who also all completed a challenge of their own.
Following the tasks, the celebrities made their way to their campsite for the first time and met all their fellow campmates.
Thompson, a former Made in Chelsea star, appeared slightly stunned to discover he would be living alongside Mr Farage.
He said: “You just don’t see that coming. I’m living in a camp with Nigel Farage
“You know when someone’s got their trousers hitched up real high, I was like, yeah, fair play mate.”