In a heart-warming moment that captivated millions of viewers, social media star Morgan Burtwistle – known online as Angry Ginge – shared an emotional reunion with his mother, Michelle, on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! last night. The tearful embrace, which also included his sister Tasha, 27, provided the show's annual dose of family sentiment, but this visit was far from ordinary for the down-to-earth Burtwistle family.
From Council Estate to Celebrity Camp
For Michelle, a single mother who worked multiple jobs to support Morgan and Tasha on an annual income of around £12,500, appearing on the ITV flagship was a surreal experience. It was her first trip to Australia, where the show is filmed, and a world away from their life on a former council estate in Eccles, Salford. "I've missed him so much," Michelle told the Daily Mail exclusively. "We were hugging each other and crying, it's the longest we've been without speaking."
The family's joy was tinged with typical Burtwistle humour. "He was gutted that I didn't give him the football results!" Michelle laughed. Her son, a staunch Manchester United supporter, first gained online notoriety for his foul-mouthed, red-faced reactions to football matches streamed on Twitch, a platform often dubbed 'the Gogglebox of the internet'.
His successful career as a content creator, which sees him play video games and host live streams for up to ten hours a day, earned him an estimated £1 million in the last year alone through subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. This success allowed him to buy his own house last year and, two Christmases ago, he used prize money from a football gaming tournament to pay off all of Michelle's debts.
An Unlikely Jungle Heartthrob
Perhaps the most unexpected twist for Michelle has been watching her son transform into a Gen Z heartthrob, charming 11 million viewers with his softer side. This new status has led to a flood of messages on her personal Facebook account. "I even got a message three days ago from one girl saying, 'Hi Michelle, I'm sorry to bother you, but I love your son... one day you may become my mother-in-law!'" she revealed.
This is a stark contrast to the online persona of 'Angry Ginge' and amuses Michelle, who notes he has had few girlfriends because he is so career-focused. "I hope I don't come home and they're all queuing up at my front door!" she joked.
In the camp, Morgan's relatable nature has seen him form unlikely bonds, particularly with American comedian Ruby Wax, 70, who he banters with "like nan and grandson." Michelle is also star-struck by his friendships with Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp and actress Lisa Riley, admitting, "watching him banter with Lisa, like they are brother and sister... is madness."
The Prophecy of a Grandfather
Michelle credits Morgan's strong character to a childhood kept busy with after-school clubs—from cubs and football to rugby and even cheerleading—to avoid the gang influences in their area. He was head boy at secondary school, a far cry from the primary school class clown whose teachers regularly complained about his jokes.
Morgan's business acumen, however, was predicted by his grandfather. "Every time Morgan would win [Monopoly] and they all used to get annoyed," Michelle recalled. "My dad was sat in the corner of the room and he said to one of his friends, 'he's going to be a businessman one day.'" When his grandfather died in February 2021, Morgan dedicated himself to streaming, viewing his subsequent success as his "grandad's prophecy."
After leaving home at 17 to ease the financial burden on his mother, Morgan's journey has been extraordinary. The family now plans a quiet Christmas at his new home to digest the "utter madness" of the past few weeks. As Michelle summarised with characteristic understatement, "It's been quite a lot the last two weeks or so."
