Martin Kemp finally tackled his first Bushtucker Trial – but fans still weren’t satisfied.
The I’m A Celebrity star teamed up with Tom Read Wilson for the Lethal Library challenge as the pair rummaged through shelves in search of stars. But despite this being Martin’s first proper trial – after being exempt from several others – viewers were left underwhelmed by how much he actually had to do.
Complaints have been rumbling for days that the “forgotten” campmate has barely appeared on camera, and even his own family has commented. His wife Shirlie recently joked on TV that he needed to “do more” while he’s out in the jungle.
After all the build-up, some fans felt the trial ended up being far too easy for Martin, especially given how long they’d waited to see him take part.
Martin Kemp faces his real Bushtucker Trial
We finally saw Martin Kemp step into the spotlight – and even flex his vocal cords – as he tackled a Bushtucker Trial crammed with books, snakes and plenty of jungle mayhem.
It was the Spandau Ballet icon’s first major trial of the series, after weeks of viewers grumbling about his lack of airtime. But that all shifted when he joined forces with Tom Read Wilson for the Lethal Library challenge.
The pair were tasked with hunting down seven books hidden throughout the cramped, critter-infested library. Martin’s job was to decipher the pictogram clues and to tell Tom what books to find in the other room – the library. When he found them, Tom would send them back to Martin at reception and he would collect the star.
Each star equaled a meal at camp, so they needed a full seven stars if they wanted to eat well tonight.
Tom never faltered in the challenge, even speaking to the critters and animals he came across in the dingy and dirty library. As Tom gingerly sifted through the shelves, he apologised to every snake he accidentally disturbed.
“Oh, darling, you’re on top,” he sighed at one particularly relaxed serpent. “Look, I’m going to do it gingerly because I think it might be a big one.”
Then came the moment fans loved most. While Tom continued searching for The Jungle Book, Ant, Dec and Martin broke into a cheerful rendition of The Bare Necessities, turning the grimy library into an impromptu musical number.
The duo managed to take home five stars – two short of a full feast for the camp.
Fans slam Martin Kemp’s ‘lazy’ Bushtucker Trial
However, as Martin was stood at reception with a few handful of critters, worms and animals thrown down at him, fans think he got an easy ride compared to Tom.
Tom had to rifle through snakes and rush around finding the books in the library for the challenge, as Martin stood waiting.
One wrote: “Even when Martin Kemp is given a task it isn’t exactly a task like any other, me thinks I’m A Celebrity is taking us for fools?”
A second added: “This lowkey feels like a trial designed just to get Martin and Tom out of the camp. It could easily be done as a one person trial.”
While a third said: “Yep, Tom doing the hard work while Martin gets a clue from Dec.”
And a fourth penned: “Easy peasy first trial for Martin”
Some suggested Martin was ‘having the time of his life’ because he started singing The Bare Necessities!
Lisa wears Ruby’s knickers around her wrist
The camp was understandably shaken by Ruby’s departure – though some felt the loss more deeply than others.
Tom was visibly devastated, choking back tears in the Bush Telegraph as he admitted just how much he was going to miss her. Their bond had become one of the sweetest friendships in camp, and her exit hit him hard.
Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, meanwhile, chose to honour Ruby in a slightly more… unconventional way. She revealed she was wearing Ruby Wax’s red “lucky knickers” around her wrist as a tribute, even giving them a kiss as she declared how thrilled she was with the parting gift and how much luck they would supposedly bring her.
Lisa and Ruby had become close during their time together, always laughing, joking and even teaming up to prank Angry Ginge by stuffing a giant rock in his backpack before Ruby was voted out.
But viewers were far less enamoured with Lisa’s knicker-kissing moment – with many admitting it left them feeling more than a little queasy.
One wrote: “Eww Lisa stop kissing Ruby’s knickers.”
“Kissing Ruby’s lucky pants?” a second asked, in disbelief and this was echoed by another X user who quizzed: “Is she kissing Ruby’s sweaty pants?”
A third declared: “I can’t be the only one that thinks the lucky pants are yuck.”
“Nah the nickers around the wrist is insane!” another penned.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here returns on ITV1 and ITVX nightly at 9pm.
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