Shortly after the line-up for this year's I'm a Celebrity was confirmed, Mike Tindall appeared on the House of Rugby podcast to speak about his close friend James Haskell signing up to the show. The 41-year-old recently spent time with James in Japan as the pair watched the Rugby World Cup with fellow rugby friends. Asked about James' latest gig, Mike shared: "Just to talk about the level of celebrities you get on that platform, it's an insane thing to hear. Haskell is well and truly on that train, I cannot wait to see how he goes. I hope they really give him some…"
James Haskell has joined this year's I'm A Celebrity line-up
Opening up about his own experience on The Jump back in 2015, Mike explained: "With The Jump, I just love skiing - I didn't think about that [attention]. I was thinking I'll get to learn how to ski for free, well actually they'll pay me to learn how to ski properly – like perfectly, you don't have to go through that awkward thing with all your friends on the nursery slopes."
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His friend James, who is married to Chloe Madeley, will be joined by the likes of Olympian and American TV personality Caitlyn Jenner, Good Morning Britain's Kate Garraway and radio presenter Roman Kemp in the jungle. Mike went on to reveal that James was fully aware of Caitlyn's past when she was known as Bruce Jenner. "Yes, we have briefed him. He knows everything about it," he said, later adding: "He actually educated us, he's so up to speed."
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On how James will do in the jungle, Mike confessed that viewers will get to see his more "sensitive side". The former professional rugby player confessed: "I see it happening two ways. I mean he's not going to get fed very much, so he's going to get hungry. He could be all laughs and jokes or someone could really annoy him and he chokes someone out on live TV." He added: "I don't know if he has any phobias, he hasn't told anyone… You might see his sensitive side."
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I'm A Celebrity returns to screens on Sunday 17 November. Ahead of his debut, James admitted to having "big shoes to fill" if he wants to emulate the popularity of his famous in-laws - Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The sports star - who enjoyed a 17-year career that saw him play for England, Wasps and Northampton - revealed: "A lot of my team mates had said in the past 'wouldn't it be fun if you went into the Jungle' but I always laughed as a) I thought nobody would approach me and b) I thought I was going to be in the World Cup but I retired sooner than I thought!"
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