Entertainment

I’m A Celebrity’s final three face ‘hardcore’ last challenges

The winner of the 2021 series was revealed on Sunday night.
The winner of the 2021 series was revealed on Sunday night. The winner of the 2021 series was revealed on Sunday night.

Frankie Bridge, Simon Gregson and Danny Miller faced their final challenges on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in a bid to win a last dinner together.

The trio competed to be crowned either king or queen of Gwrych Castle after three weeks of gruelling trials and public votes at the site in North Wales.

Sunday’s grand finale saw the group face challenges alone, with Emmerdale actor Miller trying to win starters, Coronation Street’s Gregson aiming to secure main courses and Saturdays star Bridge on desserts.

It comes after French football star David Ginola narrowly missed out on a spot in the final, being eliminated from the ITV series on Saturday’s episode following a public vote.

Speaking to hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly ahead of his final trial, Miller said: “To be in the final, never saw that coming. So thankful mate.”

His challenge involved wearing a large transparent helmet which was filled with “castle critters” including cockroaches every two minutes – with every two minutes he endured earning a star.

Singing to distract himself, he admitted: “Wow, it’s intense this, isn’t it?”

Gregson faced an eating trial in which he was tasked with consuming pig’s eye, which he described as tasting like “a pork scratching (left) in your pocket for a week”, and in a first for the programme, goat tongue.

Donnelly joked: “Any feedback is gratefully received.”

Then he drank a bowl of fermented castle gruel made of fermented egg, tofu, plums and more.

McPartlin and Donnelly joked that he had eaten a whole farmyard by the end of the challenge and started singing “Steve McDonald ate a farm” – a reference to his Coronation Street character.

Bridge was locked inside a tomb for 10 minutes with an increasing number of snakes, with the final two minutes served in total darkness.

The singer started repeating her dessert choice to herself, saying: “Apple crumble, apple crumble.”

McPartlin remarked that the challenge was “hardcore”.

After their successes, the trio sat down at a table covered in a white cloth for their final meal and reflected on their respective experiences on the show.

I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! The 2021 contestants (ITV)

Bridge opted for baked camembert, a roast beef dinner, apple crumble and custard and white chocolate fingers.

Gregson, meanwhile, chose prawn cocktail, lamb chops, mash and peppercorn sauce on the side, Eton mess and chocolate.

Miller had halloumi fries, a full English breakfast, a cheeseboard and chocolate.

As they ate, Bridge said: “The friendships you make in here are ridiculous really.”

And Gregson added: “Congratulations to whoever the king or queen may be!”

The ITV show has been on air since November 21 and has had an eventful three weeks, including having to remove intruders on two separate occasions.

The celebrity contestants were also evacuated from camp for a few days and taken to separate locations without phones, internet or TVs as a precaution as Storm Arwen caused damage to the production.

Following three days off air, the show returned after the production team worked around the clock to get it back up and running.

This year’s series also saw TV presenter Richard Madeley exit the show early after he was taken to hospital as a precaution when he fell ill. Having broken the Covid bubble, he was not able to return to the programme.

The show returned to Gwrych Castle near Abergele in North Wales for a second year due to ongoing coronavirus travel restrictions, preventing filming at its usual location in the Australian jungle.

The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! final airs tonight at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub.