But in the end it was TV personality Sam Thompson who was crowned King of the Jungle, beating the other two remaining contestants – Tony Bellew and Nigel Farage – in the final.
The ex-Made in Chelsea star, who is dating TV personality Zara McDermott, follows in the footsteps of England footballer Jill Scott, who was crowned Queen of the Jungle last year.
Here's everything you need to know about I'm a Celebrity contestant, Sam Thompson.
Sam Thompson is best known for appearing on Made in Chelsea from 2013 to 2021. His other reality TV appearances include Celebrity Big Brother, in which he came third place, as well as Celebrity Coach Trip and Celebs Go Dating.
Outside of his TV work, Thompson hosts a Sunday radio show on Hits Radio and co-hosts the Love Island: The Morning After podcast.
Thompson has been a huge fan of Love Island over the years and is even a regular panellist on Love Island: Aftersun.
His partner, Zara McDermott, rose to fame following appearing on Love Island in 2018 and was recently a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2023.
Talking about her support for him joining the series, he said: "My girlfriend is really happy for me, too. She is proud. We haven't chatted too much about it in the run-up as she has been doing Strictly and I haven't wanted to make it about me."
Phobias: "I'm not a creepy crawly guy and I hate anyone or anything touching my neck."
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: "Since the age of 21, I've spent my whole life on TV and so I feel whether people have a good or bad opinion of me, it's probably warranted!"
Best & worst attributes: "I'd like to think I am the court jester and I don't take things too seriously, so if anyone is having a bad day I would like to put a smile on their face. Worst? I am quite forgetful and I am bad at focusing on things."
Dream Camper: "Stephen Fry. I think I would self-combust if he was going in the jungle!"
What did Sam Thompson say about joining I'm a Celebrity 2023?
Sam Thompson said he was "so excited" about taking part on I'm a Celebrity.
"It still feels like a dream," he said ahead of his appearance on the show.
He added: "I feel like a competition winner taking part. It was an absolute resounding 'yes' when I got approached. In fact, they didn't even need to ask! I am a huge fan of the show.
"Ant & Dec are my idols, too, and it's going to be really surreal meeting them."
The TV personality was looking forward to making "lifelong friends" in camp, and insisted no chores will prove too tricky for him.
Thompson explained: "You can't be bored in there, it's the jungle. I am never going to do this again, and so I want to be 'in the moment' and enjoy everything. When I am 80 years old, I want to be able to tell my grandkids all about it."
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Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
