Scarlett Moffatt wants to give Ant and Dec a ‘big hug’ on return to I’m A Celeb

Scarlett Moffatt has said she cannot wait to give “a big hug” to I’m A Celebrity … Get Met Out Of Here presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly when she competes in the all stars series in South Africa.

The 35-year-old former Gogglebox star, who was crowned Queen Of The Jungle in 2016 during the Australian series, is returning for I’m A Celebrity … South Africa alongside actor Adam Thomas and soap star Beverley Callard.

Moffatt has said she is looking forward to being reunited with the hosting duo, nicknamed Ant and Dec, having also worked with them on ITV game show Saturday Night Takeaway.

The star, who is from Co Durham, said: “When I first moved to London, they were so lovely and asked me what I missed most about being away from home.

“I said: ‘Sunday dinners with the family’. They invited me round a few times to have dinner. They are lovely people.

“They say ‘don’t meet your heroes’, but when your heroes are them it’s OK. I can’t wait to give them a big hug.”

She also revealed that one of her ideal campmates would be reality star Gemma Collins, who appeared on the show in 2014 but quit after three days as she struggled with the environment.

Moffatt hailed her as an “icon” and said: “She left early and I feel it is always good when people don’t finish something to then give them another chance.”

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Collins is among the stars who will entering the jungle in the second series of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, which has been pre-recorded.

Waterloo Road star Thomas, who was with Moffatt in the jungle when he went home third, said he would “love to see some old faces again” as he hopes to be reunited with the stars who joined him during his 2016 series.

The 37-year-old said: “Life is for living and I’m really looking forward to experiencing the show all over again.

“I am really excited and I can’t wait to get to the camp to meet all the other celebrities.”

Thomas, who is also known for starring in Emmerdale, said the last time he entered the jungle he said he would not leave his wife again and joked: “Here I am, doing it again. There again, my wife always says she has three kids at home and so I think she is going to enjoy the break.”

Former Coronation street star Callard and Olympian Mo Farah are among the stars who competed in the 2020 series of the show, which relocated to Gwrych Castle in Abergele, North Wales, due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Callard, 68, said she was looking forward to the warmer climate in South Africa and said that during her time on the show, the temperature of her bedroom was “minus one degree”.

Farah, 42, also said that the series in Wales was “very cold”, adding: “Being in South Africa is going to be different. It’s sunny, warm, and as soon as I got the call inviting me, I knew I wanted to be part of the series.”

Football manager Harry Redknapp, champion boxer David Haye, former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and comedian Seann Walsh will also feature in the upcoming series, as well as pop star Sinitta, Red Dwarf star Craig Charles and ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard.

Celebrities will be competing against one another to be crowned the legend, and fans will be able to have their say and cast their vote for the winner in a live grand final broadcast direct from London.

I’m A Celebrity…South Africa returns to ITV in April.