Share and Follow
Nick Pickard has become the fourth I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmate to back Sam Thompson for 2023 King of the Jungle.
The Hollyoaks actor, 48, was eliminated from the Australian camp during Wednesday’s episode after going up against Josie Gibson in the bottom two.
After his exit, he joined hosts Ant and Dec to speak about his time in the jungle, and he was asked who he wants to see crowned the 2023 winner as just six stars remain.
Nick, best known for playing Tony Hutchinson in Hollyoaks, showed his support for Sam, 31, as he shared his hopes for the Made In Chelsea star’s victory.
He said: ‘[Sam] deserves it, well they all deserve it, but he does and I think he really wants to win… Sam’s the lifeblood in there, it wouldn’t be the same without him, he’s got so much energy.’
Nick Pickard has become the fourth I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmate to back Sam Thompson for 2023 King of the Jungle
Nick, best known for playing Tony Hutchinson in Hollyoaks, showed his support for Sam, 31, as he shared his hopes for the Made In Chelsea star’s victory following his own elimination
Nick is the fourth campmate to have backed Sam as the 2023 winner, as all three previously eliminated campmates also backed the TV personality for the crown.
Frankie Dettori was the first campmate to be eliminated in the public vote and admitted he thinks Sam will take home the top prize this year.
He said: ‘My bet would be Sam. He brings a lot to the table, he’s entertaining, he is silly, he sings, he is happy and I think what people is going to like about him is all of that. That … to me is the winner.’
Nella Rose was the next star to be voted out of the jungle, and she too said: ‘I think Sam should be King of the Jungle, he has wanted to do this since he was a kid.’
Fred Sirieix left camp on Tuesday after the third public vote and once again bet on Sam to make it all the way in this year’s series.
Sam has become a firm fan favourite on the smash hit ITV reality show, with viewers being won over by his bubbly personality and enthusiasm.
As well as his campmates backing him, bookies have also been predicting that he will take home the crown this year.
Campmates and viewers alike will just have to wait a matter of days before finding out who will be crowned winner as the countdown for Sunday’s final begins.
Just six stars now remain in the camp following four public votes, while Jamie Lynn Spears and Grace Dent both quit the show early on separate medical grounds.
Nick is the fourth campmate to have backed Sam as the 2023 winner, as all three previously eliminated campmates – including Fred Sirieix – also backed the TV personality for the crown
Nella Rose said upon her exit: ‘I think Sam should be King of the Jungle, he has wanted to do this since he was a kid’
Frankie Dettori was the first campmate to be eliminated in the public vote and admitted he thinks Sam will take home the crown this year as he praised the star’s bubbly personality
Sam has become a firm fan favourite on the smash hit ITV reality show, with viewers being won over by his bubbly personality and enthusiasm
Read Related Also: “To the best staff” – Davido gifts his cousin a diamond watch
Nick became the fourth campmate to be eliminated from the jungle on Wednesday, and fans were left shocked by his exit.
Fans took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to admit they were ‘gutted’ that he had been booted out of the camp.
One wrote: ‘Gutted that Nick has gone,’ and another said: ‘If it was another year Nick would have won, what a lovely man.’
A third penned: ‘Ohhh I liked Nick. Gutted,’ while a fourth tweeted: ‘Nick hadn’t left, it’s a dream and I want to wake up now.’
A fifth said: ‘Nick deserved better,’ and another commented: ‘Bye Nick but I’m happy it’s not Josie.’
One admitted: ‘So glad Josie is still there,’ while another vowed: ‘I’m gonna start voting for Josie now,’ after she ended up in the bottom two.
Some fans also shared their disbelief that Nick had been voted out before controversial politician and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
Despite fans’ unhappy reactions to his exit, Nick – known for playing Tony Hutchinson on Hollyoaks – didn’t seem upset as he joined Ant and Dec to look back on his jungle journey.
Nick grinned as he arrived to speak to the co-hosts and admitted he was happy to be leaving because he felt like his time on the show had come to an end.
He revealed it was his family who persuaded him to go on the ITV show as he said he was pleased to have finally taken part after more than 20 years on Hollyoaks.
‘I’ve never been asked before, it was an honour to be asked… it was great, it was so much fun,’ he gushed.
It comes after Nick was eliminated from the Australian camp during Wednesday’s episode after going up against Josie Gibson in the bottom two
Fans took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to admit they were ‘gutted’ that he had been booted out of the camp
Despite fans’ reactions to his exit, Nick – best known for playing Tony Hutchinson on Hollyoaks – didn’t seem upset as he joined Ant and Dec to look back on his jungle journey
Nick then walked across the iconic I’m A Celebrity bridge, where he was sweetly greeted by his girlfriend Sarah Corrin – who he has recently bought a house with
‘For me, I did the show for my family, they all wanted me to do it. I’ve never been asked before and it’s a lifetime experience. I didn’t do it to show who I am, I know who I am and that’s what’s important.’
Nick also addressed recent drama which saw former camp chef Fred criticise Josie’s cooking skills as he struggled to let go of control in the kitchen.
‘[Fred] gave Josie a little bit of a rough time, not in a bad way but he’s just very particular,’ Nick said of the famous cooking rows.
Nick had previously shared his apprehension about cooking for Fred after taking over from Josie as chef alongside Sam Thompson following the kitchen arguments.
Nick then walked across the iconic I’m A Celebrity bridge, where he was sweetly greeted by his girlfriend Sarah Corrin – who he has recently bought a house with.
