I’m A Celeb in new ‘fix’ row as Nigel Farage’s team accused of ‘fakery’ in desperate bid to help him win
NIGEL Farage’s team have been accused of ‘fakery’ as they desperately try to boost his chances of winning I’m A Celebrity, according to reports.
The former UKIP leader’s face has been superimposed on pictures of London buses and landmarks in bid to get people to vote for him.
Nigel‘s team have shared the shots, which include one of New York’s Empire State Building, on his official social media accounts.
They feature the slogan: “Vote Nigel.”
An ITV insider told The Mirror: “Nigel’s team will stop at nothing to try to get him the jungle crown.
“They have claimed the show is against him, the editing is unfair, and now they are faking photos to give the idea he is more popular than he is and to make people think his face is all over London landmarks.”
Nigel is the highest paid star to have ever taken part in I’m A Celebrity, reportedly netting a staggering £1.5million for his stint.
This was significantly more than the former highest paid celebrity Noel Edmonds, who was paid 600k in 2018.
He has fought off competition from the other stars and has now landed a place in I’m A Celebrity’s iconic Celebrity Cyclone challenge on Saturday night.
He will take part alongside Sam Thompson, Josie Gibson and Tony Bellew.
Nigel has never been in the bottom two following the daily public votes yet some fans have still branded his continued presence a “fix”.
Taking to X, viewers have suggested ITV might be keeping Nigel in “to get their monies’ worth”.
“It’s a fix they are keeping him in to get what they paid for. Wouldn’t be surprised if a percent of others’ votes get directed towards him so he’s saved.”
Early on in the series, Nigel told Grace Dent that taking part in a Bushtucker Trial meant an extra “25 per cent more airtime” on the show.
In the latest episode, which aired on Friday night, he was accused of “gas-lighting” Josie Gibson in an effort to bag the latest trial over her.
Josie had volunteered to take part in it with Marvin Humes, but Nigel talked his way into taking her place.
“Josie, you don’t need to. You’ve got to go into this saying I’m not frightened of whatever they’re going to throw at me. If you can’t say… then you shouldn’t do it, is my view,” he said.
Josie replied: “I was saying I want to prove myself and you were going, ‘You shouldn’t do it, you shouldn’t do it’.”
Sam Thompson told the This Morning host that she should stand firm and do the Bushtucker Trial.
But she said: “No, it’s alright. Let Nige do it, he wants the air time.”
She then said in the Bush Telegraph: “I should have fought my corner a bit more but he wants the airtime because he wants to prove himself to the nation.”
- I’m A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and ITVX