Vernon Kay hits back at Piers Morgan for saying he’s ‘never heard of’ Giovanna Fletcher

He came to the defence of the Queen of the Castle

Vernon Kay, Giovanna Fletcher and Piers Morgan

by Nathan Katnoria |
Updated on

This year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! campmates forged such strong bonds while taking part in the show and it looks like they’re set to continue now they’re back in the outside world as Vernon Kay has rushed to defend Giovanna Fletcher after Piers Morgan made a dig at her.

The former Family Fortunes host, who is married to Strictly’s Tess Daly, hit back during an appearance on Good Morning Britain yesterday (7 December), when Piers admitted not knowing who the first ever Queen of the Castle is.

Piers jibed, “You got beaten by somebody in a programme called I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! You got beaten by somebody I've never heard of. Who is Giovanna Fletcher?”

But Vernon hit back, “She's got huge followers with her podcast and the books that herself and her husband Tom write.

“But do you know what Piers, she's the most loveliest person I think I've met in a long long time. She was really, really endearing, really sweet, really compassionate.”

CHECK OUT I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winners - where are they now?

Gallery

All the I'm A Celebrity winners EVER (slider)

I'm A Celebrity winners now1 of 20
CREDIT: Shutterstock

2002: Tony Blackburn

Tony Blackburn was the first ever winner of I'm A Celeb back in 2002. He had a dramatic fall from grace in 2016 when he was sacked after 49 years working for the BBC, for failing to co-operate with the Jimmy Savile inquiry. He has since returned to the BBC and also hosts a podcast with Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson called Ricky and Tony's Pop Detectives.

I'm A Celebrity winners now2 of 20
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2003: Phil Tufnell

Since winning I'm A Celeb in 2003, Tuffers had a long-running stint as team captain on A Question of Sport from 2008 until earlier this year. He also competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009 and regularly appears on Test Match Special.

I'm A Celebrity winners now3 of 20
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2004: Kerry Katona

What hasn't Kerry been up to since winning the show in 2004? After starring in a series of fly-on-the-wall reality shows called Kerry Katona: Crazy in Love, Kerry Katona: Whole Again and Kerry Katona: What's the Problem?, she's appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating. Kerry also briefly rejoined Atomic Kitten in 2012.

I'm A Celebrity winners now4 of 20
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2004: Joe Pasquale

I'm A Celeb viewers were treated to not one but two series in 2004, with comedian Joe Pasquale inheriting the crown from Kerry Katona. These days, he continues to tour across the UK with his stand-up comedy shows. He also took part in the 2016 series of Tonight At The London Palladium on ITV and is the voice of Underdog, the cartoon dog mascot of National Accident Helpline.

I'm A Celebrity winners now5 of 20
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2005: Carol Thatcher

The journalist and author lives in Switzerland with her partner Marco Grass. In 2016, Carol blocked a proposed statue of her late mother, the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, because the sculptor had neglected to include the Baroness' key accessory: her handbag. This, among other things has driven a deep wedge between Carol and her twin brother Denis Thatcher.

I'm A Celebrity winners now6 of 20
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2006: Matt Willis

After being crowned King of the Jungle in 2006, Matt and his Busted bandmate James Bourne formed a supergroup with McFly - brilliantly called McBusted. Matt and James then had a word with Charlie Simpson and got the band back together taking Busted back on tour with the original line-up, and releasing the song Coming Home. He's also starred in EastEnders and Birds Of A Feather. Currently, Matt is touring the UK in a production of the musical Waitress.

I'm A Celebrity winners now7 of 20
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2007: Christopher Biggins

After winning I'm A Celeb in 2007, actor Christopher Biggins won Celebrity Come Dine With Me in 2009, took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2014 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2016. Biggins continues to work in pantomimes and received the Lifetime Achievement award at The Great British Pantomime Awards in 2017.

I'm A Celebrity winners now8 of 20
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2008: Joe Swash

Cheeky chap Joe Swash swapped EastEnders for the jungle and won the show in 2008. Since then, he's been all over TV and landed a job as host of the spin-off I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp in 2009. Last year, he won Dancing On Ice and regularly pops up on daytime TV faves This Morning and Loose Women. He got engaged to 2010 Jungle Queen Stacey Solomon in 2019 and has also welcomed two children with her.

I'm A Celebrity winners now9 of 20
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2009: Gino D'Acampo

The nation fell in love with Gino in 2009. Since winning the show, Gino is a regular fixture on TV screens from This Morning to Celebrity Juice and his Gino, Gordon and Fred shows with Gordon Ramsey and Fred Siriex.

I'm A Celebrity winners now10 of 20
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2010: Stacey Solomon

After showing off her bubbly personality on The X Factor, Stacey Solomon entered the jungle and won the show in 2010. Since then, she's been a regular panelist on Loose Women, brought out her own book, welcomed two children and gotten engaged to Joe Swash.

I'm A Celebrity winners now11 of 20
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2011: Dougie Poynter

McFly guitarist Dougie Poynter was crowned King of the Jungle ahead of TOWIE's Mark Wright in 2011. Since winning the crown, he's become a model and has created a new band, INK. He's still part of McFly though and regularly tours the country with the band.

I'm A Celebrity winners now12 of 20
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2012: Charlie Brooks

EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks couldn't believe it when Ant and Dec announced her as the winner in 2012. She continued her role as Janine Butcher on the show until 2014 when she left to go to Paris and recently returned to Albert Square earlier this year after seven years away.

I'm A Celebrity winners now13 of 20
CREDIT: Shutterstock

2013: Kian Egan

After 22 days in the jungle, Westlife star Kian Egan was crowned the King in 2013. He reunited with his Westlife bandmates in 2018 for an album and a tour. The boyband are also set to tour again next year and have a new album in the works.

I'm A Celebrity winners now14 of 20
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2014: Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty

Retired world super bike racer Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty won over the viewing public in 2014. He hasn't been seen a huge amount since then, unfortunately.

I'm A Celebrity winners now15 of 20
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2015: Vicky Pattison

Vicky Pattison showed a different side to her usual Geordie Shore antics, winning over the public and being crowned Queen of the Jungle in 2015. She since had a spot on the Loose Women panel, and even loved the jungle so much that she went back in for the Australian version in 2018, coming fourth place. She's since taken part in Celebrity MasterChef and Celebrity Coach Trip and also hosts her own podcast The Secret To.

I'm A Celebrity winners now16 of 20
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2016: Scarlett Moffatt

Former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt was crowned Queen of the Jungle after winning the show in 2016. She's since had plenty of presenting roles and had a regular spot on the I'm A Celeb spin-off show alongside Joe Swash until it was axed in 2019.

I'm A Celebrity winners now17 of 20
CREDIT: Shutterstock

2017: Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo

Made In Chelsea star Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo was crowned 2017's Queen of the Jungle after beating Jamie Lomas. She's since presented backstage at the National Television Awards, been a reporter for This Morning, starred on Celebrity Gogglebox with campmate Stanley Johnson and released her own clothing collection.

I'm A Celebrity winners now18 of 20
CREDIT: Shutterstock

2018: Harry Redknapp

Football manager Harry Redknapp was crowned King of the Jungle in 2018, beating actors Emily Atack and John Barrowman to the top spot. He won over viewers with his heart melting praise of wife of nearly 60 years, Sandra. Harry and Sandra appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox the following year. They were most recently seen when their son Jamie married his girlfriend Frida Andersson-Lourie.

I'm A Celebrity winners now19 of 20
CREDIT: Getty

2019: Jacqueline Jossa

Since winning I'm A Celeb in 2019, former EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa has launched a number of clothing collections with In The Style.

I'm A Celebrity winners now20 of 20
CREDIT: ITV Pictures

2020: Giovanna Fletcher

Giovanna Fletcher was crowned the first ever Queen of the Castle last year and recently announced that she was replacing Lily Allen in West End show 2:22 – A Ghost Story. She's also just released a new novel called Walking On Sunshine.

Singing the praises of Giovanna, who beat Vernon and Radio 1 DJ Jordan North to win this year’s series of I’m A Celeb, the 46-year-old continued, “She had the greatest skill of just listening to people talk.

“I know that well-being is at the top of everyone's list recently, and she was really good at just listening to people's issues, their problems, what they like, what they didn't like.

“And I think as a fellow campmate of Giovanna's, I thought she was well and truly deserved being crowned Queen."

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This all comes after it was revealed that Vernon had a secret unaired row with fellow campmate Ruthie Henshall as they tried to win treats from home alongside Victoria Derbyshire and Mo Farah in a challenge called The Serpent.

Vernon and Victoria managed to win four out of five keys to open possible treats, but Ruthie and Mo had less luck and only won two keys – which led tensions to boil over as Ruthie snapped at Vernon, “Use your c**k to drop the ball down the hole!”, as he tried to encourage her.

A source told The Sun, “Ruthie was just so desperate to get everyone their treat from home that in the heat of the moment she snapped at Vernon. He was trying to be supportive but Ruthie clearly took it the wrong way and briefly barked back at him.

“They are all good mates and have lived in each others’ pockets for more than two weeks. So it’s only natural that with the high moments there will also be fractious ones. It was a fleeting clash, and everyone was friends again afterwards.”

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