Joe Swash reveals why I’m A Celeb was harder second time round – calling trial ‘most disgusting thing I’ve ever done’
JOE Swash has revealed his second stint in I’m A Celebrity…South Africa left him utterly broken as he tonight exited the show.
The former EastEnder, 41, was kicked out of camp after losing the Temple of Doom trial against Phil Tufnell.
Joe said: “I think I found it tougher ultimately because of being away from the kids for so long. I missed my family so much.
“We had our phones taken away and I’ve never not had communication with them before.
“My kids are young and I knew they wouldn’t really understand where I was and would be upset. It really played on me.”
The jungle is a special place for Joe as he first met now wife Stacey Solomon on the show when she appeared as a contestant whilst he hosted the Extra Camp spin-off.
He went on: “Being in the camp, it always brings up memories for me of Stacey. If it wasn’t for the show, I would never have my family.
“My family were always in the front of my mind. I found that really difficult, a lot harder than I thought I would.”
Joe entered camp alongside Dean Gaffney and was immediately challenged with a disgusting drinking trial.
In it, he had to drink concoctions like blended lamb’s lung.
He revealed that he lost 10 pounds in the camp, this time set in Kruger National Park for the pre recorded spin-off.
Joe, who played Mickey Miller on the BBC soap for five years until 2008, said: “Honestly it was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever done. And I’ve done loads of Trials.
“I was never really good at the eating challenges and whenever the drinking ones came up on the spin-off show, I’d avoid them like the plague.
“They are harder than the eating Trials in my opinion. The volume and amount of stuff in the drink. The first Trial was horrendous, I found it really, really difficult.
“Age has kicked in and I’m not as young as I used to be!”