He is the reigning King of the I’m A Celebrity! jungle, co-hosts the hilarious Staying Relevant podcastwith best friend and former TOWIE star Pete Wicks and this year landed a sparkling new role as a presenter on This Morning.
And after Sam Thompson joked in self-deprecating Instagram stories that he hasn’t been fired from the ITV show yet, he shares with Closer how it felt going from winning I’m A Celebrity! to being thrust in front of live cameras as a host on the broadcaster’s flagship programme.
“At the start, I used to be really nervous about people liking me,” he admits. “Then you just realise that no one likes anyone. Once you realise you can’t really win, it kind of helps.
“It’s the viewers’ show and it’s up to me to really show them that I’m up to it and I can add to their show. I want to try my best for them – the opportunity is an honour.”
Sam adds, “Everybody who works there is awesome. Ben Shephard is so cool. He’s in very good shape – I gave him a hug and he literally crushed me!”
Made In Chelsea legend Sam, 31, has been dating former Love Island bombshell Zara McDermott, 27, since 2019, with the pair overcoming a cheating scandal in 2020 when Zara confessed to being unfaithful during her time on Celebrity X Factor. But the reality star-turned-documentary maker is not the only special someone in Sam’s life, as he shares an incredibly close bond with ex-TOWIE long-timer Pete Wicks, with the trio regularly starring in viral TikToks together.
In a recent interview with Closer, Pete, 36 – who remains notoriously tight-lipped about his love life – claimed that Sam and Zara would be jealous if he started dating anyone.
But Sam insists that it’s “so not true”. “I’ve been on a double date with Pete, as much as he won’t want me to say. He’s so soppy! I love to see it. You just don’t expect it. It didn’t work out with this lady in question, but seeing the big old fat smile on his face was lovely. I wouldn’t be jealous at all, as long as I get some of his time. Actually... if he starts spending less time with me and more time with a Mrs, that means less content!” he laughs.
Meanwhile, Hits Radio has tasked Sam with walking one million steps for Cash For Kids Day on Thursday 2 May, and he has been recruiting the help of schools across the nation to do it.
“I’m taking this very professionally – I’ve got a step counter,” he tells Closer. “I don’t do enough for charity. It’s something I was feeling a bit guilty about, so I really want to put my best foot forward and try my best. It’s going to be really awesome to get out there and speak to people.”
● To find out more about Sam’s One Million Steps Challenge, visit www.cashforkids.org.uk
