I’m A Celebrity star Joey Essex has announced he’s heading back to the jungle – but it’s not exactly what it seems!
Despite claiming he was ready to step away from reality TV, the 34-year-old reality star has surprised fans by confirming a return to I’m A Celebrity.
But this time, it’s not for the UK version of the show – it’s for I’m A Celebrity Australia it seems.
Sharing a video on his Instagram Stories, Joey was seen walking across the iconic rope bridge.
“Second time around in the jungle!” Joey captioned the post.
Donning the signature red T-shirt from the Australian series, he added: “I’m A Celebrity Australia was litt.” [Sic]
Joey Essex on I’m A Celebrity
Joey first graced the jungle in the UK’s 2013 series, where he became a fan favourite. The Essex TV star even struck up a romance with model Amy Willerton.
In 2022, he made a surprise appearance on the Australian version of the show, finishing in sixth place.
It’s unclear what Joey is doing this time around however.
He previously gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at his jungle journey, sharing footage of himself boarding a small plane to the remote set.
Approaching the pilot, he quipped: “Are you my pilot? Respect. It’s just you and me on the plane.”
Gesturing to the tiny aircraft, he exclaimed: “Is that the plane we’re flying, no way!”
Another photo showed the reality star posing next to the private jet. He wrote: “Secret mission into the jungle.”
In a later post, Joey snapped a selfie from the back of a car. In his caption, he revealed that he “lost over 2 stone”.
Joey Essex news
The former TOWIE star is no stranger to reality TV.
Over the years, he has appeared on Dancing on Ice, The Jump, Celebs Go Dating, and, most recently, Love Island.
This summer, he joined the cast of Love Island, where he struck up a brief romance with co-star Jessy Potts.
However, their relationship fizzled out just weeks after the show ended. Reflecting on his time in the villa, Joey admitted it had its challenges.
“I feel like my journey in the Love Island villa might have been a bit that way, controversy,” he said during an interview on This Morning.
“But at the end of the day, not everyone is going to love you all the time, obviously, I know the situation. Luckily, I’m strong-minded and very resilient.”
After Love Island, Joey announced he was taking a break from reality TV to explore opportunities in the U.S.
“I’ve done every reality show possible now,” he joked. “I don’t think I really want to do Strictly, I’m just taking a break.”
However, Joey’s ‘break’ didn’t last long. Weeks after appearing on Netflix’s Selling Sunset, Joey is gearing up for another adventure in I’m A Celebrity Australia.
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