Category Entertainment News

As Angrygine, Shona McGarty and Tom Read Wilson battle it out for the jungle crown, we take a look at the I’m A Celebrity stars who negotiated the highest fees ever from ITV – and those who were happy with a lot less

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I’m A Celebrity is a real leveller for the famous faces in camp who battle the elements to live live al fresco in the Australian jungle, existing on bare rations and enduring hair-raising trials.

Despite the camaraderie in camp, not everyone is paid the same for their services to the brutal series. While some stars take home a small fortune from appearing on the show, others are happy to settle for a lot less.

Last year ITV bosses splashed a huge amount of cash to get WAG Coleen Rooney on board. The wife of Wayne Rooney negotiated a fee in excess of £1.5million to appear in camp, according to reports. The amount is even more than Reform party leader Nigel Farage demanded the previous year – and notably around 15 times higher than what rival WAG Rebekah Vardy picked up in 2017.

The pay cheque makes Coleen one of I’m A Celeb’s highest paid stars ever. Ahead of tonight’s nail-biting final, we take a look at how her rivals fared…

Highest earners on I’m A Celeb

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Nigel Farage

The politician and media personality, best known for his role campaigning for Brexit, and for leading UKIP and later The Brexit Party, is reportedly getting a huge £1.5 million for his time on the show, according to the Mail Online. This makes Farage the highest-ever paid I’m a Celebrity contestant of all time.

Noel Edmonds

The former Deal or No Deal host walked so Farage could run – all the way to the bank. Noel entered the jungle in 2018 for a reported fee of a whopping £600,000. Despite demanding a huge fee and being someone the production team had been chasing for years, the TV star spent very little time on the show and was the first person to be voted off.

Boy GeorgeHarry RedknappCaitlyn Jenner

Three very different celebs, Boy George, Harry Redknapp, and Caitlyn Jenner, reportedly all walked out of the jungle with a cool £500,000. Culture Club singer Boy George ended up in eighth place during his stint in 2022. Caitlyn Jenner faired slightly better, coming in at sixth place during her time in 2019, but it was football legend Harry Redknapp who really earned his keep, coming in first and winning the nation’s hearts in 2018.

Katie Price

It’s not clear how much Katie got for her first stint in the 2003 series, but the mum-of-five was reportedly paid a then record-breaking £450,000 for her second round in 2009.

Although she finished in third place during her first time, she ended up leaving the show on day nine during her second go in the jungle after a brief headline-grabbing comeback.

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Ian Wright,Amir KhanMatt Hancock

Out of these three celebrities, it was former Health Secretary Matt Hancock who ended up lasting the longest on the show when he appeared in 2022. Finishing in third place behind runner-up Owen Warner and winner Jill Scott. Boxer Amir Khan spent 20 days in the jungle, coming in fifth, while former football player Ian Wright managed 18 days and came in eighth place.

Lowest earners on I’m A Celeb

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Georgia Toffolo

Little known at the time, Made in Chelsea cast member Georgia Toffolo was paid just £13,000 to enter the jungle in 2017. However, the public quickly fell in love with the adorable star and helped her win the series. She returned six years later for I’m a Celebrity…South Africa.

Malique Thompson-Dwyer

The Hollyoaks star went into the show in 2018 and was reportedly paid £15,000 to appear. Unfortunately, the Prince McQueen star was the second person to be voted out of the jungle.

Jordan BanjoMyles Stephenson

Jordan Banjo and Myles Stephenson, who both found fame on other ITV reality shows – Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor, respectively – both commanded a crisp £25,000 for their stints on I’m A Celebrity. Myles entered the jungle in 2019 and was eliminated sixth from the competition. Meanwhile, Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo went on the show in 2016 and was the fourth person to be eliminated.

Emily Atack

The Inbetweeners’ favourite went on the show in 2018, the same year as Harry Redknapp. While the former footballer was paid £500,000 to appear, Emily reportedly got £40k.

Holly Arnold MBE

Paralympic javelin thrower Holly Arnold MBE, unfortunately, didn’t get to go to Australia as her time came during the extensive Covid-19 lockdown. Reportedly paid £50,000 for her time in the Welsh castle, she ended up being eliminated first.

Cuffs has just been added to Netflix after it initially aired in 2015

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Cuffs is now on Netflix amongst some other classic dramas, and the crime drama series depicts the lives of front-line police officers within Brighton and Sussex.

The series aired on BBC One back in 2015 and fans were disappointed to learn the show had been cancelled after just one season.

The announcement was criticised by many of the stars and a petition was created in an attempt to sway the BBC, but it was unsuccessful.

Alex Carter stars as PC Lino Moretti, an out-of-shape cop who is proud of his Italian heritage.

Carter is a 43-year-old actor from Oldham who is mostly known for playing Jamie Hope in Emmerdale and Lee Hunter in Hollyoaks.

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He has a brother called Bruce, who is in the band The Whip, and both brothers attended the Blue Coat School, Oldham.

The Whip are a rock band from Manchester, with Bruce being one of the founding members.

One of their tracks appears in the soundtrack for FIFA 09, the video game by EA Sports. Their song Trash gave the band wide exposure after it featured in a national TV advertising campaign for Coors Light Beer.

Away from showbiz, Alex Carter presented the Saturday afternoon sports programme Latics Live on The Revolution between 2008 and 2011, being a lifelong fan of Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

In the early Noughties he joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Lee Hunter, staying for four years before his character left to embark on a world tour.

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Carter announced his decision to quit the soap in 2005 “to have more free time”, but after a five-year hiatus, his character returned.

He joined Emmerdale in 2006 as Jamie Hope – the eldest son of the established character Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw).

In 2010 he announced he was leaving the soap after four years, in order to pursue new projects.

He told BBC 6 Music at the time: “I’m getting thoroughly depressed because I’m in work every day for about four hours.

“It’s like they’re teasing me because I’m leaving and I’ve got one line. I’m in work every day. It’s driving me mental.”

His latest role was as Jeff in the comedy series So Awkward Academy.

Penny Lancaster became emotional after Rod Stewart revealed heartfelt details of their 26 year love story during a BBC festive documentary presented by Anita Rani

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Penny Lancaster broke down in tears as she learned a secret about how one of Rod Stewart’s friends tried to prevent them from dating – for a moving reason.

Rocker Rod revealed to his wife that a close friend withheld her phone number from him until he felt he was ‘fully healed’, following his bitter divorce from model Rachel Hunter. Rod has said his second wife Rachel’s decision to leave him had left him in physical pain and he finally knew what it meant to have a broken heart.

Rod and Penny, who have been together for more than two decades and share two children together, first met when Penny, 54, was a student at Barking College and he was performing.

In the aftermath of Rod’s split from Rachel, the singer, 80, met Penny but his close friend at the time, Carmine Appice thought Rod was not in an emotionally healthy place to be dating again – and so didn’t pass on her number.

The revelation was made during the first episode of Anita Rani’s My Life At Christmas for the BBC. Recalling the story with Penny sat beside him, Rod told Anita: “He was an absolute gentleman, he was band leader and bass player and he kept her telephone away from me.”

He continued: “He didn’t think I was in the right position because I had just got a divorce and didn’t know if I was coming or going and he said I will give it to you when I think you are ready.”

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He jokingly added: “I should have fired him but I couldn’t!” And it was at this point in the clip that Penny started to become emotional as she said: “Carmine had kept that telephone number away from him. He said ‘You are going to go a bit crazy over the summer and let your hair down and Penny seems like a nice girl.'”

Believing that she was not going to see the legendary singer again, she continued: “I really thought that was the last I would see of Rod. I remember processing those photos I took of Rod [at his concert] and thinking, ‘what a lovely memory’ and that was that.”

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But Rod finally made the leap himself and contacted Penny and their relationship has since gone from strength to strength. The couple welcomed their first son together in 2005. Two years later, the pair tied the knot in a lavish ceremony before the arrival of their second son in 2011. But it seems they had to carefully navigate their way around Rod’s other children from previous marriages and relationships.

Penny candidly described what it was like entering into an already blended family. She explained: “I tiptoed very lightly. Because there were lots of personalities, and more important there were children ranging from all ages. From Liam who was five when we first met through to teenagers to Kimberly who was just about to turn 21 so it was delicate and they were children from different mothers.”

She went on to add: ” It was a scenario I had never faced before and I thought I need to stay in the background but be present and there if they want to approach me. I just wanted to take my time and it took a long time,’ attempting to hold back her sobs she continued, ‘but we got there and we have got to a place that I never thought I would get to with them.”

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Rod then chimed in and said: “I must admit the kids adore her now, they look for her for advice.”

Rachel Hunter was Rod’s second wife. Model Rachel was just 21-years-old when she met the Maggie May singer and despite their 24-year age gap, they married and had two kids – Renee and Liam.

The pair stayed married until 1999 when Rachel walked away, stating she’d “lost her identity.” She later admitted: “I’ll take to the grave the pain I caused Rod. I hurt the one person I loved and cared about.” Rod did not take the break up well, saying: “I took to lying on the sofa in the day, with a blanket over me and a hot water bottle against my chest. I knew then why they call it heartbroken. You can feel it in your heart.”

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Penny’s tears didn’t end there as the interview swiftly moved on to when they met the Pope in 2018. They had won the chance to meet Pope Francis on the back of a charity bid. Penny said: “As the Pope Francis came along the eye contact that we got was very powerful.

He spent quite a time with us and he placed both our hands on top of each other and placed his hand on top of ours.” Anita asked what that moment mean to her, to which Penny said: “It sort of cemented all the wishes that Rod and I had for one another. “

She added: “All those sort of prayers that we had had quietly. He gave us two rosary beads too and he blessed us as well and it made us feel like… it was all our destiny.”

But it wasn’t just Penny who found the interview emotional, as Rod also shed a tear when asked the secret to a 25 year relationship.

Through tears he said: “I think the age difference, there are downsides to it, but there is a maturity I may have taught Penny and there is an honesty she has taught me. We do not argue before we go to bed and we do not argue after a glass of wine and if we do have arguments it is over real quick. “

He continued: “I try to teach my kids, all of them, that real men say sorry, that’s what they do. There is a wonderful honestly between us and long may it last.”

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Horror icon Patty McCormack has opened up about playing one of the most terrifying child characters of all time in The Bad Seed, and why she’s stopping trying to distance herself from psycopathic Rhoda Penmark

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In the autumn of 1956, cinema goers settled in to see one of the creepiest child performances of all time. And in the years since, the former pint-sized star has done everything possible to “separate” herself from the eerie portrayal, which made her a household name.

Said to rank among master of horror Stephen King’s favourite scary films, The Bad Seed is a psychological nail-biter which follows the story of a frantic mother who begins to suspect her eight-year-old daughter could be a psychopathic serial killer. Patty McCormack, then just 11 years old, played pigtailed murderess Rhoda Penmark, with a stand-out performance that sent shivers down the spines of parents in the audience.

Patty, now 80 years old, enjoyed widespread acclaim for her portrayal of angelic-looking monster Rhoda, a character first dreamt up by writer William March in his novel of the same name. She became the youngest ever actress to be nominated for an Academy Award, as well as the youngest to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now, Patty has spoken out about the role that changed her life, and why, for a long time, she tried to put a firm distance between herself and Rhoda.

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In a recent episode of the It Happened in Hollywood podcast, Patty, originally from New York City, shared: “For a long time… it was something that didn’t get discussed because it was a past achievement. And in those days, there was that awful expression, ‘has-been.’ You know? You’re a ‘has-been’, or it’s ‘old news’ or whatever.”

As Patty explained, when she made the move to Hollywood, none of her classmates were particularly “thrilled” by her early success, as the majority of them had parents in the showbiz industry. She recalled: “I did my best to separate myself from that role and reputation. It’s not the same anymore – not with social media and people appreciating histories of people’s work. It’s such a different world now.”

In the 1960s, Patty continued to pursue acting work, mainly picking up “ingénue” roles in international low-budget films, but says “never did they connect my past with what I was doing in the present.” For a while, it was only film students with a deep knowledge of the genre who would quiz Patty about her iconic role.

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As the years went by, however, The Bad Seed entered cult classic status, and Patty began to appreciate the impact she’d had on the world of cinema. She said, “People started to appreciate the history of people’s careers. Also, my character was kind of cool.”

According to Patty, a friend of hers even told her that some fans even identified with terrifying Rhoda as she “went against the grain of what was expected.” Patty reflected: “She’s a rebel in sheep’s clothing, because she dresses really nice and pretty.”

Nowadays, Patty embraces this part of her legacy and will even attend screenings of the movie where cinema goers dress up as Rhoda, complete with blonde braids. She even returned as a different character for the 2022 sequel, The Bad Seed Returns.

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Still a stage actor, Patty is enjoying this later part of her career, revealing, “I have great freedom now. You have to be old enough where it doesn’t matter.”

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

Talya Honebeek

He’s one of TV’s most reliable ensemble actors, and appeared in pretty much every UK TV show worth its salt, from The Night Manager to Doctor Who

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Russell Tovey has quietly become one of British TV’s most in demand actors.

Having become a familiar face in the likes of Gavin and Stacey, where he plays a member of Gavin and Smithy’s rambunctious friend group, and Sherlock, where he appears as the mentally disturbed Henry Knight in the critically acclaimed Hound of the Baskerville episode, he’s gone onto pick up lead roles in both television and film.

Viewers will no doubt recognise him from his performance as the werewolf George Sands in the smash hit supernatural comedy Being Human, as well as his performance as Steve in the instant cult-classic sitcom Him and Her.

As he’s set to star in The Land Between the War and the Sea, we take a look at his life.

Start on the stage

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Like many young actors, it was the stage that offered Russell his first foray into the world of performance, with the Essex-born star joining a local stage school as a child. His talent was clearly appreciated, as at just 13 he was cast in the CBBC show Mud, although it only ran for one year.

The future star would go on to appear in a number of small productions and TV show, including episodes of Holby City and Agatha Christie’s Poirot, before landing his first big break: playing Rudge in the Tony Award winning play The History Boys, before going on to star in the film version too.

Since then he’s gone on to become one of TV’s most reliable ensemble actors, and appeared in pretty much every UK TV show worth its salt, from The Night Manager, to Doctor Who, to Sherlock.

Becoming an LGBTQ+ inspiration

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Russell has been open about his journey as a gay man, becoming a role model within the LGBTQ+ community.

He said he realised he was gay at 15, although he didn’t tell his family for another three years, having found himself secretly in love with an older male actor, a crush he desperately tried to hide from his colleagues.

He has spoken about how an older female co-star noticed his feelings and took him aside for a conversation that would change his life. She gently suggested that he “might be gay” and reassured him that it would be perfectly fine if he was.

Russell has appeared in several shows which explore issues in the LGBTQ+ community, including Juice and Looking, as well as becoming a patron for the Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps LGBT youth struggling with homeless.

Speaking on his partnership with the charity, he said he was proud to help with such an important issue: “I am honoured to be associated with them and if just by being there, I can make any difference at all, then that difference is the most important thing.”

A turbulent love life

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Russell found love with rugby coach Steve Brockman in 2016, with the pair announcing they were engaged two years later.

However, the couple’s relationship seemingly hit the rocks, with fans noticing the pair had unfollowed each other on Instagram after Russell posted a photograph of him and his dog on a beach with the caption: “It’s just you and me, kid.”

The pair did appear to patch things up the following year, and their relationship has remained the subject of speculation ever since.

Russell has spoken in the past about the emotional complexity of that first break-up, even admitting he sold his engagement ring and handed the money to his brother during a family trip to Disney World.

“We were together, then we broke up, now we’re back together… Is it like Snakes and Ladders?” he joked at the time.

Man of many talents

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Outside of acting, Russell has shown a real eye for art, and has made a name for himself in the world of collection.

The actor’s love of the artistic began when his parents bought him a Tracey Emin print for his 21st birthday, with that work sparking an obsession that has grown into a serious collection of more than 300 works, including pieces by Wolfgang Tillmans, Jamian Juliano Villani, Shannon Ebner, Amoako Boafo, and many others.

His interest in art extends beyond collecting. He co-hosts the Talk Art podcast with Robert Diament, where they speak with leading artists, curators, and critics, and has co-written a book based on the series.

Russell has curated exhibitions, organised contemporary art auctions for Sotheby’s, and served on the Turner Prize jury too. He has also shown an interest in the world of politics, becoming a member of the Green Party last year.

New role

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Russell plays Barclay in the upcoming BBC and Disney collaboration The War Between the Land and the Sea.

The first episode of the new Russell T Davis sci-fi miniseries, which sees the emergence of an ancient aquatic species threaten global war, airs this Sunday (7th December).

Speaking about the role, Russell said: “I wanted Barclay to feel like a lost boy at the beginning, and I really wanted to go on a journey with him.”

Millionaire music mogul, Simon Cowell, has opened up about his changing appearance as he admits to having undergone a number of cosmetic procedures

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Simon Cowell has finally revealed the cosmetic work he’s had done after years of speculation about the music mogul’s appearance.

Fans of the dad-of-one, 66, have been convinced that the X-Factor star – whose new Netflix show, Next Act, sees him on the hunt for the next big boy band – has been under the knife after Simon’s face suddenly seemed to change drastically.

With reports of botox, fillers and even a facelift, the Britain’s Got Talent star, has been plagued by rumours about his jaw-dropping new look. However, now he’s set the record straight as he spoke candidly about his appearance as well as the misconceptions about him.

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Speaking to the Mail, revealing he’s had botox, laser treatments and “this and that”, Simon denied having a facelift, insisting: “I have heard certain things about how I’ve had a facelift. I haven’t.

“I’ve had botox. I’ve had lasers and this and that. I look at myself sometimes and go, ‘Oh God, I look s**t.’ Sometimes I think I look OK. I’m more about: ‘Is it real?’ I guess that authenticity was my main thing.”

There have also been rumours about Simon’s physique, with the star noticeably trimmer than when he first found fame. It has been suggested he may have been taking diabetic drug Mounjaro, which is now being used for weight loss. However, he denied this was the case, but did say: “Whoever made it hit the jackpot”.

Explaining that he started taking more care of his body after he broke his back in a e-bike crash in 2020, he said: “Breaking my back, weirdly, was a good thing, because I hadn’t realised how unfit I was. Everything was spiralling badly down before that. So the exercise I had to do to recover and the diet change got me to where I am.”

Simon also said that he enjoys two smoothies a day with a bowl of porridge and eats his dinner, often consisting of haddock or chicken and mushroom pie at 5.30pm.

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Going back to botox, and Simon says it’s as ‘normal as toothpaste’, previously telling Glamour: “To me, botox is no more unusual than toothpaste. It works, you do it once a year – who cares?” However, he also told The Sun: “There’s lots of things you can do now. You don’t just have to stuff your face with filler and botox.”

One of these things includes washing your blood as the star Simon has also revealed that undergoes the gruesome sounding procedure at a ‘wellness clinic’.

He told Rolling Stone recently: “I go to this wellness clinic where they actually take your blood, they rinse it, they filter it, they put it back into your body.”

Claiming he was ‘ageing backwards’ by changing his lifestyle, Simon concluded: “I’ve actually aged backwards by eating better, more exercise, less stress.”