"Is this club class? The in-flight service is going to be minimal today," joked Carol Thatcher before sky-diving into the Australian I'm A Celebrity jungle camp at the weekend. The daughter of former PM Margaret Thatcher is one of ten contestants bracing themselves for a rough ride as the ITV reality show gets underway for another season on Monday night.
True to her iron heritage the 52-year-old journalist was in fighting spirits despite feeling queasy during the 12,000ft jump. Antiques expert David Dickinson found the experience of parachuting in "amazing", while bookies' favourite, Eastenders actor Sid Owen, also took it in his stride.
Sid's ex-Albert Square colleague Elaine Lordan has had a rather more problematic start to her jungle stint, however. She needed rescuing as she made her way into the camp over a high-wire tightrope, and then fainted from heat exhaustion. After being treated by medics in the camp, Elaine fell ill again later on and was taken to hospital for a check-up after collapsing a second time. A spokesman for the show said the actress hoped to make her return shortly.
Other participants in the jungle challenge include ex-Blue singer Antony Costa, Seventies pop dynamo Jimmy Osmond and Kimberley Davies, who played Annalise Hartman in Neighbours.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
