Jack Osbourne's participation in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is serving as an unexpected source of solace as he processes the profound grief following his father's death, his wife has revealed.
Aree Gearhart, Jack's wife, believes the ITV reality show has provided a crucial support system for the 40-year-old, who entered the Australian jungle just four months after his father, rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, died in July following a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
Navigating Grief in the Jungle
On the main show, viewers have seen Jack speak openly about coming to terms with his father's passing, at one point breaking down in tears as he confided in campmates. He shared that the loss 'still feels fresh' and came as 'a shock' to the entire family.
Speaking on the spin-off programme I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked on Wednesday, Aree offered her perspective. 'It's kind of a funny time to be doing something like this, but it's helpful,' she stated, acknowledging the unique timing of his jungle stint.
She elaborated that being around his 'funny' campmates, specifically naming Ruby Wax and Lisa Riley, has been instrumental in lifting his spirits. 'I found his connections with Lisa and Ruby to be really heartwarming,' Aree said. 'I think that they're such kind, warm souls that are so funny, and I feel like in this season that Jack is in, he needs people like that by his side.'
Ozzy's Support From Afar
During a campfire conversation, Jack himself reflected on what his father would have thought of the experience. When Lisa Riley asked if Ozzy would have been watching the show, Jack confirmed, 'He would have, yeah. He absolutely would've watched it.'
When Ruby Wax questioned whether the Black Sabbath frontman understood the concept of the show, Jack responded with a touch of humour, 'He got it, but he was just like, 'Why would anyone do that?'' Jack added, 'He's the last person on planet Earth that should ever question why anyone should've ever done anything.'
Triumph in the Face of Emotion
Despite the emotional weight he is carrying, Jack has proven to be a formidable competitor in the camp's gruelling Bushtucker Trials. In a standout moment, he tackled his first solo challenge, 'Drown The Hatch,' with astonishing speed and composure.
The trial required him to dive into eight water-filled chambers, battling creatures like eels and toads to find twelve stars. Hosts Ant and Dec watched in amazement as he completed the first section in a mere 26 seconds, with Ant dubbing him 'a machine' and jokingly suggesting he compete in the Olympics.
Jack successfully collected all twelve stars in record time, emerging to call the harrowing experience 'fun!'
However, the jungle experience has not been without its physical toll. Jack recently admitted on Unpacked that the celebrities are losing significant weight, a common side effect of the meagre rations. He confessed the weight loss has been so brutal that he and his campmates are suffering from 'chafed a****' from sitting on the hard logs, with Jack even wishing he could have smuggled in a camping chair for relief.
Jack, who shot to fame on the MTV reality show The Osbournes with his parents and sister Kelly, is navigating one of life's most difficult challenges in the world's most famous jungle, finding both tears and unexpected triumphs along the way.
