As a Radio 1 DJ, not many people had even seen Jordan North’s face before he vomited on a cliff-side at the start of this year’s I’m A Celeb! But fast-forward three weeks and he’s the name on everyone’s lips, as fans credit him for being on the biggest journey of the series. He’s transformed from being scared of heights, enclosed spaces and reptiles, to facing his fears and feeding the camp with his successful trials.
As Closer went to press, Jordan was a favourite to win the show, with odds of 7/4. But popular culture expert Nick Ede says he’ll emerge a “true winner,” even if he doesn’t ultimately take home the crown.
Nick explains, “Nobody knew who Jordan was, but he’s undoubtedly made the biggest impact. Being sick in the first episode – that’s what the public want; somebody they can repeatedly vote for to do all the scary tasks because they know they’re going to see him freaking out!
“Not only is he TV gold in that way, but also because he has such an endearing quality – everyone wants to protect him. The campmates enjoy his company and he’s always up for doing stuff. People love somebody who can triumph over adversity and he’s definitely that character.”
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1 of 16Charlotte Crosby before
Here's Charlotte at an In The Style event before heading onto the Australian version of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2 of 16Charlotte Crosby now
Following her time in the jungle, Charlotte confessed she a lot of weight over the past few weeks."Jungle diet. Lost over a stone LOL. Starving," she wrote on her Instagram Story.
3 of 16Nick Knowles before
Nick won over the nation when he received his luxury item - a pillow - and gave it to Anne Hegerty.
4 of 16Nick Knowles after
After leaving the Jungle, Nick told Closer Online he lost 2.5st following his time in Australia. WOWZA!
5 of 16Emily Atack before
Emily claimed that the trousers she wore when she arrived in the jungle were 'tight',
6 of 16Emily Atack after
In the second week, Emily told Noel Edmonds that her trousers had loosened, so she couldn't wait to get home and feast on fries, cheese and champagne! Hurrah!
7 of 16Amir Khan before
Boxer Amir Khan was reportedly the highest paid contestant so far when he took part in 2017.
8 of 16Amir Khan after
He left camp looking noticeably slimmer when he came in sixth place.
9 of 16Dennis Wise before
Footballer Dennis Wise took part in 2017.
10 of 16Dennis Wise after
He spent 21 days in the jungle and said: "I've shredded so much weight, people don't realise the rations you get - I mean, they are rations."
11 of 16Paul Burrell before
Former royal butler Paul Burrell joined the series in 2004.
12 of 16Paul Burrell after
He finished in second place, after taking part in some hilarious Buch Tucker Trials!
13 of 16Scarlett Moffatt before
Scarlett Moffatt looked happy and healthy when she joined the jungle in 2016.
14 of 16Scarlett Moffatt after
Scarlett emerged victorious!
15 of 16Rebekah Vardy before
Rebekan Vardy was one of the first campers to get eliminated.
16 of 16Rebekah Vardy after
Despite being in there for a short while, Rebekah dropped a full stone! She told The Sun: "Jamie loves me whatever I look like!"
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Nick believes that regardless of whether or not Jordan is crowned King of the Castle, he could pocket a cool £1 million by the end of 2021.
He says, “He might have other radio stations bidding for him and he’ll probably do TV presenting, too. He’s worked his way up from being a tea boy to where he is now, and people love that great journey he’s been on.
“As viewers, we often want big name characters going on a show like this. But, in reality, they have so much pressure on them that they rarely shine. It’s quite often people we don’t expect who make the lasting impressions. All eyes are going to be on Jordan for a long time to come.”
Get the best celeb interviews in Closer magazine each week.