I’m A Celebrity… weekend round-up

The two new celebrities arrived, Helen once more became a viewer favorite for the trials and confrontations were plentiful as ATV Today’s telly critic Queenie looks back over Saturday and Sunday in the Australian celebrity jungle camp.

There were two new jungle campers in the form of singer Limahl who admitted he is going to have a tough time in the jungle because he is scared of ‘everything and anything’ you could possible face up to in the wilds.

“I do have phobias of everything you can name. But the problem with hypnotism is handing control over to someone else – and that is one of my phobias. What have I let myself in for? I am asking myself the same question.

“I am also an emotional person and I am not embarrassed by that. I think there is a very good chance that I could break down in the jungle. There is a real sense, however, that I am going to go for it. It is a journey and it is about winning those stars and coming out the other side, hopefully sane and in one piece.” He says.

While robust chef Rosemary Shrager isn’t so concerned scared about outback living. No-nonsense Rosemary, runs a cookery school however will be best known for her role as cuisine teacher on ITV1’s Ladette to Lady.

She admits however, “This is definitely going to be the toughest thing I have ever done,” adding, “I have never camped out in the stars before and I am not an outdoors person either.”

“I am not a screamer type of person but I have never been in this kind of situation before…. But I will try my best and I am looking forward to everything with such anticipation. It will be interesting to see who comes into the jungle and who is going to do my head in!” she concluded before entering the celebrity camp.

Once both new stars had joined the others Nadine whispered on Saturday’s show, “I think today’s going to be a difficult day. Today’s going to be more difficult than yesterday. It’s the dynamic of Rosemary coming in. That is like someone throwing a human hand grenade into the camp. I’ve got a bad feeling in my stomach.”

“You know she did that programme Ladette to Lady and what they did is gave the girls elocution lessons, how to be ladies and she would tear a strip off them. She was a bad ass momma.”

Later, Brian took it upon himself to confront Rosemary over a comment she said to David when she arrived in camp. When introduced to David, Rosemary had asked what he did, when he replied that he was a boxer the chef exclaimed that she “didn’t like boxing.”

As they sat on the sofa in the Jungle Den, Brian said, “I tell you what wound me up when you came in, you said to David that you don’t like boxing. He’s the heavy weight champion of the world.”

Whilst she admitted to Brian and Limahl, who had joined in the conversation, that she never cried, the chef shed a tear and received a hug from Limahl.

Explaining his actions, Brian confessed, “I just wanted her to be clear of some of the concerns of we had.” Rosemary headed into camp and apologised to David in front of other camp mates.

Later in the Bush Telegraph, David said, “Rosemary came over this morning and whole heartedly apologised for what she said. I was actually upset that she defused it because I thought it would be great entertainment for everybody. Me and her battling with each other! I can fight my own battles I don’t need someone trying to keep the peace.”

A confused Charlie and Linda looked on whilst Brian explained why he confronted Rosemary. “I said personally I was upset about what you (Rosemary) said to David. Rosemary got upset, she said ‘I never cry’ but she was upset because she had upset us.”

Linda and Charlie disagreed with Brian as did David. Charlie admitted that she wasn’t aware of the whole conversation and that she was thrilled to have Rosemary in camp.  Charlie confronted Brian, “Oh My God Brian I haven’t got the hump with you at all. All I said was I wasn’t included in that.” She then walked away from the group.

A despondent Helen admitted that she was not looking forward to her pending trial and admitted to “feeling deflated.”

Her bad mood was picked up by her fellow camp mates who, rather than rally around her decided that a different tack might help her complete the trial. And not like my tactic which would be to give her a darn good slap and shake darlings!

Charlie revealed, “She (Helen) goes out feeling negative maybe that’s not going to be a good thing for the trial, but to be honest she’s gone out feeling positive and not done it so maybe the opposite will work. We’ve all tried little pep talks and words of encouragement but I don’t know how much any of it goes in really.”

Whilst Eric admitted, “I’m not bothering anymore to try and say good luck because it just goes in one ear and out the other.”

When Helen arrived at her fifth Bush Tucker Trial she told Ant and Dec, “I’m not feeling this. I have given it 100%. What more can I give. I will have a look (at the trial), obviously I really want to give everything a go and I’m not a quitter at all, but if I think absolutely no I’ve had enough, then I’ve had enough.”

Making reference to yesterday’s trial, in which her four stars were not counted as she had broken the rules, Ant quipped, “now listen carefully on these rules, because I know you’re not very good with rules.”

Standing before her was a giant jungle hamster cage, which was split into five areas, two crawl- through tunnels, a house, a bathing tub and a hamster’s wheel. Each area contained stars – twelve in total. She would be joined by a host of jungle critters, Helen had to run on the hamster wheel, this would lower stars from the ceiling. If she stopped running the stars would wind back up. She had two minutes to collect the two stars. Helen agreed to attempt the trial and headed into the hamster’s wheel.

But as soon as the klaxon was fired indicating that trial would start, Helen shouted, “I really don’t want to this, please let me out, I’m freaking out. I’m really sorry I want to get out now. Its really panicking me and I’m really, really sorry. I don’t want to let anyone down its just really freaking me out.”

Guaranteeing further viewer voted trails Helen continued, “I don’t want to let anyone down, the whole thing is completely freaking me out because it’s my fifth trial. I know its only meal worms, its really working me up and I don’t want to put myself through it and get absolutely terrified. Honestly I’m really scared.”

She then uttered the immortal line “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!”

Discussions in camp soon turned to Helen and whether she would get any stars in the Bush Tucker Trial. Whilst most of the camp were not confident, Rosemary admitted that she was staying positive.

But a despondent Brian added, “we know her a bit more.” Eric agreed and said, “She’s (Helen) been in her car and run out of petrol four times, this is the kind of person we’re dealing with.”

An unsuccessful Helen came back to camp and promptly told the other celebrities, “I couldn’t do it. I completely froze.” Describing the trial she said, “it was kind of a rat race. It wasn’t even that hard. I had to get on this wheel thing they were going to chuck all these maggots on me and I just completely froze.”

Charlie commented that they won’t be eating again tonight, whilst an exasperated Linda said, “I want to go home!”

Later Limahl commented, “you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. I looked around and everybody’s expressions were very glum.”

Whilst Ashley said, “There’s a part of me that sympathetic to her if she does have some fears, but there’s also a part of me that’s ‘man get in there and try and see what happens.’”

Limahl then asked Helen, “You knew what the show was and you’re obviously handling it really bad. You made the decision to come on (the show) did you think you would be able to handle it?”

Helen responded, “I did actually but I don’t think you realise how you’re going to handle things until you get there.”

When she had left, Limahl said to Eric, “If you’ve got ten stars to collect you and you come back two or three at least its something. I really think its important to have a go. It seems mad that she’s here”.

Back in camp, Helen went and sat next to David. Eric commented, “I don’t know why you’re in here if you don’t like insects and bugs and animals and things like that and you come into a jungle. What did you think you were going to do in here, drink milkshakes?”

Helen replied that whilst she thought she would have done better she was glad she came into the jungle.

But Eric retorted, “We’re not. We’re starving.”

Helen then confronted Limahl about his earlier comment, in which he asked why she had decided to come onto I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!

Helen said, “I’m not being confrontational, but your comment hurt me and it offended me. You said something like ‘why did you sign up for the show?’ It made me feel that you were saying ‘why are you here?’ And I thought that was out of order.

Referring to his night in the Bushman’s Refuge, Limahl replied, “Sweetie I spent eight hours in a f*cking rat infested room to get you guys a treat. Don’t talk to me about being out of order I made huge effort for everyone including you.”

But Helen continued, “Your comment was out of order. I just thought its just completely insensitive. I’m not bitching about you, I’m sure we’ll get on after this and get past this but that’s how I felt.”

Limahl said, “well I’m sorry.”

Rosemary’s snoring was causing concern in the camp. She awoke this morning and said “I feel so much better this morning but what’s really awful is my snoring. I’m really worried because I’m just going to upset everyone. I am like a tractor engine.”

“God forbid I have to sleep near her” said Brian as he told the camp that he’d talked to Rosemary about the problem.

But it seemed that Rosemary wasn’t the only culprit. “Did you hear yourself snore” asked Charlie. And she later added “Brian Conley had the cheek to tell off Rosemary about snoring.”

Sunday’s show saw that surprise surprise it was Helen once more voted to undertake the Bush Tucker Trial. Having already undertaken five, she hadn’t been successful in bringing a single meal back to camp.

The mood in the camp was beginning to change which Helen picked up on. All of Helen’s starving campmates tried to motivate her, although having had their efforts dashed on all of the other occasions, they really thought they were onto a losing battle.

Ashley said “You’ve eaten crap, you’ve been in the darkness, you’ve seen an ostrich, you’ve had bugs on you, you’ve seen rats.”

Ashley later said “we’re probably being a bit more honest and aggressive because we want her to go out there and win for herself and for us.”

“We’re really hungry now” added Nadine.

Charlie commented “Tough love you know. They say that works with young teenagers so we’ve all shown her a bit of tough love today and hopefully she’s come back with the stars.”

“She’s 22. She’s not a baby. In actual fact she’s got to go out and nail this today. She’s got to think about the team. She’s got to because everyone’s starving now.”

Limahl and Charlie accompanied Helen to the Trials area. “You need to get a grip. Get in there. Just do it.” Advised Charlie.

Helen undertook the Deadly Delivery Trial. She had to put her head in a Perspex box whilst simultaneously manoeuvring a star across a maze. When she reached other end, she had to pull a star out of the box with her teeth, which would give her two stars for each box. Of course, each star was guarded by jungle critters in each box.

Helen pushed her head into the first box which contained mixed lizards. She moved the star across the maze and pulled the other out of the box with her teeth, earning her first two stars. “I absolutely sh*t myself” she said.

The second box contained a cocktail of critters – scorpions, crickets, cockroaches and millipedes. “I do not want to know what is in it” she told Ant and Dec as once again she moved the star across the course and won the two stars, making a total of four.

In the next box were one of Helen’s particular fears – spiders. “Oh My God I f*cking hate spiders” she said but stuck her head in and successfully retrieved two stars.

The fourth box contained soldier crabs. “They could nip a bit” explained Dec. But once again, Helen put her head in the box and retrieved the star as a crab crawled up her face and tried to get into her goggles. “How the hell did I get eight stars?” she squealed.

Next up was a box containing 10,000 cockroaches. They crawled over her face and hair, even escaping and crawling all over the top half of her body. But she continued and won two more stars for camp.

“Who are you and what have you done with Helen Flanagan“ joked Ant as she put her head in the sixth and final box which contained five carpet pythons. Once again, she completely the task making a total of 12 stars. “I’m so happy. I’ve never been so happy” she shouted jumping up and down. “I’ve never been so proud of myself ever. I feel on cloud nine” she added as both Ant and Dec congratulated and hugged her.

After the Trial, Helen was beside herself with excitement and relief. Crying she said “I can’t believe I got 12. Oh my God, this is ridiculous. I’m just so happy. Honestly I’ve never been so happy. I’m just really really thrilled I was able to get that. It’s so stupid. Honestly I can’t tell you how scared I was and just feel really proud of myself and I felt really proud and happy. My campmates will be so happy and I can’t wait to go back.”

Meanwhile in camp, discussions were taking place about how many stars Helen might get. “None” guessed Eric; “Three” said Ashley. “Who knows. We’ve been here before haven’t we?” said Charlie.

Helen ran in shouting “I got 12.” The camp all cheered in in amazement.

“I was completely in shock” said Ashley. “I was flabbergasted.”

Colin said “It’s perked us all up. It means we’re going to be busy this evening because we’re all going to be chopping, scrapping, preparing and peeling. Obeying the mighty Rosemary who I’m on record as saying I adore. I think she’s the best thing to happen to this jungle.”

In camp Eric said “I’m taken aback”. “Shaken to your very foundations” added David. “Discombobulated” added Colin.

Looking at what food they had before the stars Rosemary took charge and attempted to work out what they could eat and commented that they had “loads of beans.” This prompted Hugo to say, “no one likes f*cking beans.”

A positive Rosemary exclaimed that she could do “something with them” But when Hugo snaps “What?” Rosemary responded, “your attitude this morning is grumpy and not becoming. I want you to stop it.”

Rosemary said, “If you want me to help you I’ll help you if not, I will not. Believe me I’m very good at walking away.”

Rosemary later commented in the Bush Telegraph, “Hugo gave me a really hard time. He’s stroppy today. He’s being a stroppy little spoilt boy”.

Whilst Colin said, “Rosemary is brilliantly finding a way of making in inedible, edible and we’re mashing beans and going to make little bean balls.”

As Rosemary continued to vocalise the instructions, Hugo hit back and said, “you’re very bossy in the kitchen.”

With Rosemary’s dish of bean balls cooked, the camp mates admitted that her dish was very good.

Nadine then told the chef, “some of us are very grateful indeed. You are a fantastic dynamic to the group and very grateful you’re here.”

I’m A Celebrity… 9pm ITV1, UTV and STV