Sam Thompson has revealed the reason he won’t be met by girlfriend Zara McDermott at the end of the bridge when he finishes his stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

The 31-year-old Made In Chelsea has admitted he gambled on Zara still being on Strictly Come Dancing at the time he was entering the jungle, instead opting to take his friend Pete Wicks.

However, Zara and dance partner Graziano di Prima were voted out of the BBC series during the Halloween episode – just weeks before Sam was due to arrive down under.

Sam, who has been dating former Love Island star Zara since 2019, opened up about their clashing schedules on Hits Radio.

He explained: “When they asked [me to go into the jungle] I did think, if Zara was still on Strictly would I be a bad boyfriend if I went – but then decided I had to!”

He went on to say: “As it turns out she’s tapping out of Strictly just as I’m tapping in.”

Instead, TOWIE star Pete Wicks, who appears in the video on Sam’s Instagram feed almost as much as Zara, will be joining him on the other side of the pond.

Sam admitted: “Because I thought she would still be doing Strictly, Pete’s coming with me!

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“I don’t know if I’m going to have a girlfriend at the end of it…”

Zara previously spoke about her disappointment at leaving Strictly earlier in the series, but expressed her gratitude for partner Graziano’s incredible friendship.

Soon after her exit, she said: “I’ve never been a dancer, or a performer, I’ve always been self conscious, so I knew that this was going to be a huge challenge physically and mentally, yet it was a challenge I absolutely wanted to take on.

“However, from the day I met you Graz, you told me every day that I am strong, beautiful and confident. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I know that we were meant to be friends for life.”

Sam isn’t the only celebrity joining the I’m A Celeb line-up for 2023, with former UKIP leader Nigel Farage also appearing on our screens this weekend.

First Dates star Fred Sirieix will also star alongside This Morning host Josie Gibson, and Britney Spears’ sister Jamie Lynn Spears has caught her flight to Australia.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! kicks off on November 19 on ITV.