Nigel Farage said he was a “hero” to some and a “villain” to others, as he appeared on the new series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
“In the woods you will find the real me,” the former Ukip and Brexit Party leader promised viewers.
He is the latest political figure to star in the ITV show, following in the footsteps of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock last year.
Farage earned £1.5 million for taking part in the show.
The amount is far greater than the £320,000 paid to Hancock last year, according to the MP’s register of financial interests.
Last year, the public elected Hancock to take part in a series of unpleasant bush food trials.
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And Farage has been chosen by the public to take part in the next trial following his debut on the show – alongside social media sensation Nella Rose in a game called “Jungle Pizzeria”.
In the opening episode, Farage and two other campmates – This Morning presenter Josie Gibson and YouTuber Rose – are dumped in the middle of the Australian outback.
Their job is to fight slime and snakes while trying to gain time for their campmates, who are participating in another challenge thousands of miles away.
Farage, who arrived wearing a pink shirt and chinos, said he was excited to try “something different in life”, to which Gibson replied: “It’s not any worse than Brexit.”
He replied: “Oh… it won’t take long, will it? It won’t take long. I have a feeling we’ll get a little out of it.”
He then faces the challenge head on, sticking his head through the window of a snake-infested campervan while having no use of his hands.
He is joined by Rose, who seems frightened by the prospect of the task.
Rose has one million followers on TikTok, plus 900,000 on Instagram and nearly 800,000 on YouTube.
The show’s producers hope he can help engage young viewers.
This year’s other contestants include Jamie Lynn Spears, who said in her introduction video that she is “best known as an actress and singer.”
She is also – and arguably more – known as the younger sister of pop star Britney, who recently released a memoir.
Spears, Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard and JLS singer Marvin Humes had to parachute before entering the camp.
Spears later said that the dive was like “making my childhood dream of being a fairy come true”.
Other contestants this year include restaurant critic and MasterChef guest judge Grace Dent, TV presenter Fred Sirieix, reality star Sam Thompson and former EastEnders actress Danielle Harold.
The four of them arrived by helicopter at the top of a Gold Coast skyscraper and were tasked with walking along a horizontal beam.
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were on hand to cheer on the celebrities as the battle began for one of them to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle.
Welcoming viewers to the new series, they said: “Tonight the talking stops and the adventure begins… get ready for the ride of your life.”
After a public vote, Farage and Rose will take part in the next challenge in the show.
Farage told The Sun newspaper that he would be excused from certain trials for medical reasons, such as anything involving weight lifting.
