Former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff has confessed to a clever deception he employed during his winning stint on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! which was never detected by cameras, granting him a significantly more comfortable experience in the jungle.
The Cunning Plan: A Fake Smoker's Ruse
Participating in the 2015 Australian version of the hit reality show, Flintoff, whose real name is Andrew, was ultimately crowned King of the Jungle. However, the road to victory was made easier by a sneaky tactic he disclosed on his former BBC podcast, Flintoff, Savage and the Ping Pong Guy.
The sports star turned presenter explained that he knowingly exploited a specific Australian broadcasting rule. "I knew it’s illegal to smoke on Aussie TV. They don’t let you smoke on Aussie TV," Flintoff stated. "So I said, I’m a smoker. I’m not. I’m not by any stretch."
This fabricated claim meant that several times a day, producers were obligated to escort him away from the main camp to a designated smoking area, freeing him from the constant filming and cramped conditions of camp life.
Peace, Quiet, and Premium Hydration
Flintoff's chosen spot for his pretend smoking breaks was strategically located near the medical tent. This afforded him not only solitude but also a crucial extra comfort. "I just sat on the chair, got a bit of peace to myself, not filmed, nobody’s hearing," he recalled.
It was there he made his second discovery: a water tub in the medical area. While his campmates had to make do with the water available in camp, Flintoff used his breaks to sneakily refill his water bottle. "So I picked all the putty out the window and took it out. And then filled me bottle five times a day," he revealed.
The result was a level of hydration his fellow celebrities could only dream of. "So I was getting fresh drinking water. I was more hydrated than I’ve ever been in my life," he joked, adding that his reduced water intake in camp made him look like a "camel" to the others.
A Victorious Outcome and New Jungle Entrants
Freddie Flintoff's cunning strategies certainly didn't hinder his success. His time on the show, which was filmed in South Africa, concluded with him being voted the winner, bagging a $100,000 prize for charity. He chose to donate his winnings to the McGrath Foundation.
As Flintoff's past secret comes to light, a new cohort of celebrities is currently facing their own trials in the UK version of the jungle. The camp is set to welcome two new late arrivals: Vogue Williams, who is following in the footsteps of her husband Spencer Matthews, and Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson, who has admitted to being "terrified" of what awaits him.
