Entertainment

Kezia Dugdale’s PM ambitions dashed in I’m A Celeb debut

She lost out in her first challenge.
She lost out in her first challenge. She lost out in her first challenge.

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has missed out on the chance to be named Jungle Prime Minister in her first challenge in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!

The MSP, who made her debut on the show on Thursday alongside DJ Iain Lee, faced a stomach-churning politically themed challenge as she arrived at camp.

The newcomers faced off in The Battle Of 10 Downing Creek  as they were tasked with retrieving red stars buried deep within boxes filled with various things, including raw meat and fish guts, and a variety of creepy crawlies.

Each box has a pun name attached based on politicians, such as Sickola Sturgeon, Margaret Scratcher and Theresa Dismay, and the other celebrity campmates were able to watch their attempts from green tiered benches to match those in the House of Commons after they picked a candidate to back.

All the contestants chose to pledge allegiance to Dugdale but Lee pulled ahead in the Jeremy Clawbyn and Tony Scare chambers, which were full of crabs and snakes respectively, and ended the challenge ahead of the politician to be named Prime Minister.

Addressing the campmates, who had all sided with Dugdale, he said: “This is awkward, isn’t it?”

He chose five celebrities to form his cabinet in Croc Creek – selecting Shappi Khorsandi, Jennie McAlpine, Dennis Wise, Amir Khan and Stanley Johnson.

He selected Khorsandi as his Deputy Prime Minister.

Losing the trial has doomed Dugdale and her team of Jamie Lomas, Vanessa White, Rebekah Vardy and Georgia “Toff” Toffolo to walk back to Snake Rock, where they have to sleep on the floor and eat rice and beans.

Dugdale was assigned the task of cleaning her camp and said: “I’ve slid all the way from being potential Prime Minister to dunny duty pretty quick.”

Her appearance in the reality programme has divided viewers and politicians.

She had been denied permission by political bosses to take part in the show, but it was announced earlier this week that she will not face suspension from her party over her appearance.

I’m A Celebrity continues on ITV at 9pm on Friday.