John Barrowman went to extreme lengths when he was injured during I’m a Celebrity
The former Doctor Who star didn’t want any special treatment
John Barrowman lived up to the heroics of his Doctor Who counterpart Captain Jack Harkness during his time in the I’m a Celebrity jungle last year.
The 52-year-old was famously pulled out of camp for one night last year after he sprained his ankle, having to take a trip to hospital and staying in a hotel while he recovered.
But Barrowman, who finished in third place after insisting he returned to camp, was determined that his experience outside the jungle was no different to that of his campmates – and went to extreme measures to keep things on a level playing field.
Speaking at a BAFTA Masterclass for I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, he explained, “I couldn’t go back into camp that night, but I said I wanted to be treated like everyone else was still treated.
“So they put me in a hotel room but they stripped it. I said I wasn’t going to take a shower, I wanted to go back in as I was.”
He added that he couldn’t fault the care of the crew and casting team, which was led by the show's celebrity producer Micky Van Praagh.
“Micky was right there [when I fell],” he said. “There was someone from staff there as they got me in the ambulance. There were with me in the truck, and Micky stayed with me when I was x-rayed in hospital. They look after us.”
Barrowman’s inclusion in the 2018 series came as a shock to some, as he was not one of the many names previously rumoured to be entering the jungle.
But the Torchwood actor revealed that he had been asked by producers to be on the show multiple times before, and went to great lengths to keep his inclusion on the programme top secret.
“My availability had been checked for other years, and I hadn’t been available, but that year I was available,” he explained. “And it was confirmed really early, April or May time. I took a little time to think about it.
“I was at a Comic Con convention in Australia prior to going in and I sent my assistant to take photographs on the way home on the plane, so people thought I was going home when I was really still out there, and then I went into isolation.
“It was a big surprise and I was hoping people weren’t expecting it as we worked so hard to keep it quiet.”
It was also confirmed at the BAFTA Masterclass that Ant McPartlin return to front the 2019 series, having pulled out of presenting commitments in 2018.
He was replaced by Holly Willoughby – with many critics citing her as one of the reasons why the show achieved some of its highest ratings yet.
I'm a Celebrity's creative director Richard Cowles said, “We love what Holly did, but we’re very much looking forward to Ant coming back and I think it’s going to be an amazing series.
“I think the job is for us to create a series and cast where everyone wants to come back and watch more, so I’m not worried [about ratings].
“I’m looking forward to seeing Ant and Dec back again.”
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! returns to ITV later this year
