Mike Tindall has won a new legion of fans during his time in the I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! jungle. The father-of-three made headlines on a number of occasions thanks to his endless displays of kindness, hilarious anecdotes and iconic budgy smugglers scene – even Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly were slightly taken aback!
WATCH: Mike and Zara Tindall's incredible reception at luxury five-star hotel after I'm A Celeb exit
Despite making it through to the semi-final, the former rugby player missed out on a place in the show's finale.
© Photo: RexAfter a nail-biting last episode, Lioness legend Jill Scott managed to clinch the coveted top prize and earned her a spot among jungle royalty. All hail Queen Jill of the Jungle!
WATCH: Mike Tindall told he's 'punching' with wife Zara
As Mike prepares to jet back home to Gatcombe Park, we take a deep dive into how the 44-year-old has celebrated his time in the jungle and begun settling back into his life. Thankfully there won't be any Australian critters in sight…
MORE: Princess Anne's sweet tribute to Zara and Mike Tindall inside private home
MORE: 5 times Mike Tindall showed he's a doting dad to Mia, Lena and Lucas
The star's romantic reunion with Zara
Following Mike's elimination from Saturday's show, Zara Tindall made a special trip to surprise her husband. After Mike's exit interview with I'm a Celeb hosts Ant and Dec, equestrian star Zara raced to greet Mike with a warm embrace as they reunited Down Under.
© Photo: RexMike and Zara reunited in the jungle
The couple, who have been married since 2011, looked delighted to be in one another's company after spending three weeks apart. As they hugged, Mike could be heard saying to Zara: "I missed you so much."
Upon exiting the jungle, Mike took to social media with the sweetest update. Alongside a loved-up snap of Zara gazing adoringly at her husband, Mike gushed: "Reunited!!! [love heart emoji] Back to normality and time to eat!!! Thanks for all the kind messages! It was a blast!"
© Photo: InstagramThe loved-up couple tied the knot in 2011
Swapping his hammock for a plush hotel bed, Mike and Zara subsequently checked into the luxurious JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa – the very same hotel used by all the I'm a Celeb stars after they've been booted from the jungle.
The five-star resort is situated on Australia's Gold Coast and boasts brand-new guest suites, pristine marble bathrooms, an on-site spa and a handful of high-end restaurants.
A family affair
Although Mike appeared to emerge as a strong leader in the jungle, unphased by the countless gruesome eating challenges, the podcast host struggled emotionally.
© Photo: Getty ImagesZara and Mike welcomed Lucas in 2021
During Monday's Good Morning Britain, Mike candidly confessed: "That's probably the hardest thing about the whole show, especially when you've got the three little ones as well, is being away for that period of time."
Thankfully for Mike, Zara travelled to Australia with the couple's three children in tow. Heralding a return to parenting duties, the ruby star has since enjoyed some much-needed family time with Mia, eight, Lena, four and 20-month-old Lucas.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe former rugby player is a hands-on father
With not a single bushtucker trial in sight, the family paid a visit to Sea World Marine Park where they soaked up the spectacular exhibits including penguins and jellyfish.
Crossing paths with Princess Anne
While Mike was extremely eager to reunite with his beloved family, the dad-of-three has confessed that he has actively trying to avoid a run-in with Princess Anne, 72.
During Good Morning Britain, Mike touched on his mother-in-law and when asked whether the Princess Royal had caught a glimpse of his hilarious trouser story, Mike replied: "No, I don't think she was watching but I think Zara might have told her.
© Photo: Getty ImagesMike and Princess Anne share a passion for sport
"But I'm pretty sure it's probably etched into her memory banks for all the wrong reasons. So yeah, I'll probably bashfully hide away from that one."
The revelation comes after the sporting star told his jungle campmates about his hilarious blunder involving Princess Anne..
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe podcast host recounted his royal blunder
"Zara had like a 30th birthday, it was a disco 70s-themed one. I was dancing on the dance floor, I had like flares on, full outfit but it was quite tight, nothing ever fits - rugby player's bum and legs - so I was dancing with my mother-in-law and I did a [expletive] drop in front of my mother-in-law," Mike revealed.
He went on to say: "Ripped my trousers, straight in front of her. It happened to be that my boxers that I had on at that time said, 'nibble my nuts'."
Mike's jungle legacy
Following his iconic budgy smugglers unveiling, Mike has since launched his very own line of hilarious swimming trunks in aid of charity.
His new limited edition run - created in collaboration with his team from The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby podcast - features two sensational designs bearing the phrases, "These are not my wife's" and "Nibble my nuts".
© Photo: RexMike stunned viewers with his choice of swimwear
Profits from each sale will go towards Cure Parkinson's to help fund their research into the condition. The cause is particularly close to Mike's heart after his father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2003.
Speaking about his dad on GMB in 2019, Mike said: "It's a nightmare disease because there are over 40 symptoms of what Parkinson's can look like... people think they're drunk or people can freeze in the middle of the street but that's the difficult part of it.
© Photo: InstagramFans can now snap up their very own pair of budgy smugglers
"I was very blasé at the start, he was diagnosed in 2003. He had this tremor for a couple of years before that and being a typical bloke didn't address the issue early enough... He was good for a long period of time and then sort of been in the last year - and the last five years - you've seen it catch up on him."
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