I'm A Celeb Kings of the Jungle now – Huge net worth, Family Fortunes and tragic loss

A new group of celebrities are facing some of their biggest fears as they attempt to become the winner of I’m A Celebrity 2021.

However, 2017 Queen of the Jungle Georgia Toffolo has told the ITV contestants not to focus on winning, instead saying to the Radio Times: “Don’t focus on that, just enjoy every day and embrace the experience. People foolishly start game-playing for more airtime in order to win – it doesn’t ever work!

“Be authentic, kind and up for anything – that’s the winning formula.”

We take a look at the stars who had that winning formula, becoming King of the Jungle and where they are now.

Tony Blackburn – 2002

Legendary radio DJ Tony Blackburn became the first star to take the jungle crown in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’s debut series in 2002.

With a career spanning over 60 years, there’s no wonder he has amassed a huge net worth of over £8.5million, as he continues hosting radio shows on BBC Radio 2, Capital Gold and Classic Gold Digital.

He has continued to entertain on the TV too, joining celebrities including sixth doctor Colin Baker and Sonia on Celebrity 5 go Caravanning, and bringing festive cheer on Now Christmas music channel in Tony Blackburn’s Seventies Christmas Songs

The popular Radio DJ has been married twice, first to actress Tessa Wyatt from 1972-1977 and they had a son called Simon.

He then married his second wife Debbie, who is a theatrical agent, in 1992 and they had a daughter called Victoria.

However, he recently paid tribute to his sister Jackie on social media, after she died in March, saying: “I hope you enjoyed my BBC Radio 2 shows this weekend which were recorded before I got the sad news that my lovely sister Jackie had passed away.

“She had been in hospital with Covid and had been home for a week but lost the battle. I love you Jackie RIP.”

Phil Tufnell – 2003

Former cricketer Phil Tufnell followed in Tony’s footsteps and was crowned King of the Jungle in 2003.

After I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, he continued to follow on a sporting path by becoming one of the team captains on BBC’s A Question of Sport, and was also a team leader on the programme They Think It’s All Over in 2005.

Viewers were also delighted when Phil took to the dance floor and strutted some seriously good dance moves in the 2009 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

He currently hosts segments on BBC’s The One Show, discussing a range of topics.

Joe Pasquale – 2005

Comedian Joe Pasquale was a born entertainer and he certainly pleased fans, earning him the King of the Jungle crown in 2005.

From there he hasn’t left our screens, continuing to make viewers laugh in programmes such as 2006’s reboot of the Price is Right, as well as using his comedy skills in the role of Frank Spencer in a stage production of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em.

He also attempted to win television glory again, by taking part in not one, but two series of Dancing on Ice in 2013 and 2014.

However it wasn’t without its dangers though, as the squeaky voiced comedian suffered an injury while on the Dancing on Ice Tour.

He laughingly told The Express: “I wasn’t skating, I just fell over,” which resulted in him fracturing his right hand.

Matt Willis – 2006

Musician Matt Willis rose to fame as part of pop group Busted, and in 2006, he was also crowned King of the Jungle.

After a hiatus, Busted reformed and have toured across the UK, both on their own and alongside fellow pop stars McFly, as the supergroup McBusted.

Matt has also recently joined the UK tour cast of musical Waitress.

During his time with Busted at the height of their fame, he met future wife Emma Willis when she was working as a presenter at MTV.

She told Heat magazine that she was the first to approach Matt for a date, saying: “I chased him for a little bit.”

It was with a little help from another boyband member that finally got the two together though, with Emma saying: “I called up Simon Webbe from Blue who was with him on the telly.

“They were on Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway together and I said can you pass my number onto him… [Matt] didn’t call me.”

However, Matt did eventually call her and the couple got married in 2008 and have four children together.

Christopher Biggins – 2007

Christopher Biggins is one of TV’s most famous actors, taking the jungle crown in 2007.

As well as his roles in seventies sitcom Porridge and drama Poldark, he has toured the pantomime circuit for over 40 years, before deciding to retire in 2017.

It’s not just the jungle where Christopher has competed – he also won Celebrity Come Dine with Me and took part in Celebrity Masterchef.

However, he was asked to leave the Big Brother house after a number of controversial comments in 2016, which led to thousands of complaints to OfCom.

Since 2006 he has been married to his partner Neil Sinclair, and was most recently seen in the TV film Saturday Knight Takeaway.

Joe Swash – 2008

Former EastEnders actor Joe Swash won the jungle crown in 2008, and since then, he has taken part in a number of reality TV show competitions including Dancing on Ice in 2020, Hole in the Wall and Celebrity Gogglebox.

Joe showed that he was just as talented in the kitchen as he was on screen too, when he took part in the 2021 series of Celebrity Masterchef and wowed judges Simon and Greg with his takes on traditional dishes.

Fans also shared their messages of congratulations too, when earlier in the year, he became a dad to a baby girl with partner Stacey Solomon, who would go on to win I’m A Celeb two years after Joe in 2010.

Stacey regularly shares insights into their family life on social media, including one particularly embarrassing incident recently when she blamed Joe for not telling her that her new leggings were see through on a trip to the shops.

“You said come on let’s go,” Stacey clapped back to Joe on her Instagram story, after Joe said: “You’re a grown woman, you should pay more attention to what you were wearing.”

Stacey said: “Joe let me walk around in them all day without even letting me know.

“We got dressed in the dark before the school run and I didn’t even think of looking in the mirror. Joe thinks it’s hilarious. Apparently, he noticed but ‘forgot’ to say anything because we were in a rush.”

Gino D’Acampo – 2009

Chef, restaurateur and TV personality Gino D’Acampo became jungle king in 2009 and since then he hasn’t left our screens, sharing culinary delights in programmes including Gino’s Italian Escape.

In addition to his chain of restaurants across the country, he also recently launched his own Italian food range at UK supermarkets.

Gino has also branched out into television, hosting the ITV classic game show Family Fortunes, as well as travelling the world in the ITV programme Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip, with Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix.

However, Gino recently alarmed fans when he tweeted that the show was cancelled, saying on Twitter: “Breaking News… Unfortunately we will no longer be filming #GordonGinoandFred mainly because @GordonRamsay is too busy working on his hair highlights in USA.”

An ITV spokesperson later denied that the show had been cancelled, saying to Digital Spy: “Making a show that involves international travel during this period with the knock on effect of Covid-19 restrictions has been challenging, but Gordon, Gino and Fred has not been cancelled.”

In real life, Gino has been married to his wife Jessica since 2002 and they have three children together.

Dougie Poynter – 2011

A few years after McBusted supergroup member Matt Willis took the jungle crown, it was the turn of McFly’s Dougie Poynter to do the same in 2011.

He has continued to tour with fellow jungle king Matt as part of McBusted, as well as joining his McFly band mates at concerts across the UK.

However when McFly took a hiatus in 2016, having rose to fame at age 16 with the group, Dougie revealed it took a toll on his mental health.

In the ITV show McFly: All About Us, he said: “On the one hand I felt inspired because friends in LA would take me to see other bands and stuff.

“On the other hand, I was like, ‘But my band’s broken and it’s all my fault’.”

The band admitted that joint therapy had helped them to repair their relationships with one another, and the band later got back together, with Dougie saying: “It’s all I really know and all I really want to know.”

Outside of the band, Dougie has also become a successful children’s author and following a relationship with singer Ellie Goulding, Dougie has found love with model Maddy Elmer.

Kian Egan – 2013

Kian Egan rose to fame as part of Westlife and during the band’s hiatus, he won I’m a Celeb in 2013.

He has continued to keep a foot in the music world, releasing the solo album Home in 2010 and becoming a coach on The Voice of Ireland.

Westlife reformed in 2019 and landed their eighth number one album in 2019. They have since performed their new music on ITV show Loose Women recently, with the show renamed ‘Loose Life’ in honour of the special episode.

Band member Mark said: “We’re really looking forward to ‘Loose Life’! As far as I know, no one has ever done this before. It is going to be great.”

Kian Egan is not the only famous star in his family though, as he married Hollyoaks actress Jodi Albert in 2009, and the couple have three children.

Carl Fogarty – 2014

Carl Fogarty MBE, known as “Foggy” is one of the most successful World Superbike racers of all time and in 2014, he continued his success by winning I’m A Celeb.

He told Radio Times that the secret to his success on the show was: “Just about being yourself and embracing it all and throwing yourself into it. Getting on with everybody and just seeing where that takes you.”

Although he retired from racing in 2000, he still makes appearances at events including An Evening with Carl Fogarty and gives regular interviews about his career.

The star also recently lent his support to his hometown of Blackburn, where he has a road named after him, who are bidding to become recognised as a city.

In a statement he said: “Blackburn has been my home for 56 years and you don’t live in one place for that long unless you have a deep connection.

“It has changed a lot over that time but the character of the people has stayed the same. There are so many other reasons why Blackburn should be recognised as a city – its culture, history and sporting tradition. That’s why I’m #BackingBlackburn.”

Since 1991, he has been married to his wife Michaela Fogarty.

Harry Redknapp – 2018

Former England football player and manager Harry Redknapp was the last King of the Jungle of I’m A Celeb in 2018.

He was also the oldest person to ever win the competition at the age of 71, being crowned King Harry due to his popularity on the show, which gained over 10.8million viewers at its peak.

“Harry was the favourite all the way though,” said TV critic Emma Bullimore on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“With all of his little idiosyncrasies and little catchphrases, he was absolutely brilliant entertainment value and a very worthy winner.”

She added: “There was no game plan, there was no pretence, he was just himself. He came across as such a genuinely nice man.”

Harry Redknapp continues to be on our screens as football commentator and also has a huge net worth of over £14.5million.

He has been married to his wife Sandra Harris since 1967 and they have two children, as well as three grandchildren.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk