First star confirmed for I’m A Celebrity’s iconic Cyclone as they win immunity after impressive trial
OTI Mabuse has landed herself a place in the I’m A Celebrity semi-final after winning the coveted golden ticket.
The former Strictly star, 34, took on Danny Jones, Maura Higgins, and Coleen Rooney in Battle Blocks and wowed everyone with her impressive strategy.
Covered in jungle slime and fish guts, and having to put their hands into different hell holes filled with critters to find all ten battle blocks, Maura screamed, as Danny laughed his way through.
Meanwhile, Oti and Coleen both kept stealth with their game faces on.
But Oti had a different plan to the rest, putting her civil engineering degree to good use, her tactic was to lay all ten blocks out on the floor and fit them like a puzzle to determine which way round they would successfully fit in the grid.
Ant and Dec watched on saying: “That’s an interesting strategy, putting it on the floor first, even with stuff dropping down!”
With tension building, Ant said: “Ooh Coleen is so close, has she got all her blocks?” as they watched her try and assemble the blocks into her grid.
Meanwhile, Maura squealed as rotten fruit and veg dropped on her, as she shouted: “That’s enough!”
As Ant and Dec deduced: “A lot of squealing and screaming, I don’t think that’s helping her at all.”
The tension was getting to Danny, as he tried to place the blocks in the correct alignment, saying: “This is hard!”
Oti picked her blocks up off the floor, as Dec questioned: “She’s getting them off the floor, straight in. Do you think she’s done it?”
Ant replied: “It hasn’t really helped, has it? Or has it?”
With the pressure building, Coleen, Danny, and Oti were neck and neck, all filling up their grids at a fast pace, whilst Maura hadn’t yet started putting blocks into the grid in front of her.
Suddenly Oti burst out of her gameplay area and ran to press the golden buzzer, as golden confetti burst into the air and she jumped up and down celebrating.
Dec remarked: “Oti! That was incredible!”
Ant added: “Absolutely brilliant.”
Telling them all about her tactic to lay out the blocks on the floor, her fellow celebrities clapped and congratulated her, whilst Ant said: “Work smart, not harder!”
The moment then came for Dec to hand Oti the coveted golden ticket to Cyclone, granting her immunity for the next two vote-offs, and a guaranteed place in the Celebrity Cyclone.
A very happy Oti grinned and said: “It feels amazing, I’ve got to wash my underwear more now!”
Tonight’s double exit will see two campmates follow axed Jane Moore, Dean McCullough, Tulisa Contostavlos, and Melvin Odoom.
After getting the boot, Melvin told The Sun he was on the brink of quitting I’m A Celeb – but battled on to do his family proud.
The BBC Radio 1 DJ, 44, broke down in tears days before he became the fourth star evicted from camp.
He became emotional after sleeping in the Bush Telegraph for a night after a storm soaked his hammock, sleeping bag and clothes.
Melvin said he seriously contemplated walking at one point.
But he was desperate to avoid a repeat of his 2016 stint on Strictly, when he crashed out first.
Asked if he had thought about quitting, Melvin said: “Yes and no.
“Yeah, because I found it difficult and I thought the finish line seemed quite far away at the time.
“But no, because I didn’t want to let my family down. The most similar process to this that I’ve ever done in my life was Strictly, and I was the first person out.
“And I was aware of that in my head. I felt like I let people down when I did that.
“Then I came back and did the Christmas special and won the whole thing. So when I was sitting there, I was like, ‘I really want to leave’.
“But I was thinking, ‘I can’t let anyone down’.”
I think Carol Vorderman is fine. So when I found out that she sent a message to the guys in Unpacked, I was laughing
Melvin Odoom
He was comforted by Dancing On Ice judge Oti – who he calls his sister – and boxing legend Barry, who gave him a fatherly hug.
Melvin added: “That’s what got me through the whole thing. The best thing about the camp was the people.
“If it wasn’t for them, I feel like I would have wanted to leave a lot sooner.”
We spoke to Melvin at the five-star JW Marriott hotel in Surfers Paradise, Australia, hours after he left the jungle.
He looked dapper after ditching his camp clobber for a short-sleeve revere collar shirt and blue shorts following his first hot shower in weeks.
Melvin looked lean, too – having shedded just over a stone during his 18 days in the jungle’s sweltering heat on a rice and beans diet.
Now he is out, he will be hoping to talk his celebrity crush, former Countdown star Carol Vorderman, 63, into going on a date.
Melvin revealed his love for her in camp – with his luxury item a pillow with her face on.
After seeing it, Carol sent saucy voice messages for Melvin into ITV2 spin-off show Unpacked.
Melvin said: “I think she’s hot. I think Carol Vorderman is fine.
“So when I found out that she sent a message to the guys in Unpacked, I was laughing.
“Finally, she’s got the message!”
- I’m A Celebrity continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.