Ed Bye, the husband of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star Ruby Wax, has touched down in Australia, offering a show of support after his wife sparked a major viewer backlash with an unconventional good-luck gesture involving her underwear.
The Controversial Gesture That Divided Fans
The drama unfolded earlier this week when Ruby Wax, the 72-year-old comedian, decided to offer fellow campmate Angry Ginge a unique token of luck before he faced the terrifying Bushtucker Trial 'Terriflying Tours'. In a moment that left viewers at home stunned, Ruby presented the 24-year-old YouTuber with a pair of her own clean, red underwear.
As she handed them over, Ruby explained, 'I just want to give you the lucky underpants. I always wear red when, you know, I want to pull off something.' Angry Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle, reacted with bemusement, telling the camera, 'Ruby gave me her lucky underwear. However, we will see how lucky they are today.' He was quick to assure viewers he wouldn't be touching them, a sentiment Ruby countered by shouting 'The pants are clean!' as he departed for the trial.
Viewer Backlash and Support
The gesture did not land well with a significant portion of the audience. Social media platform X was quickly flooded with criticism, with one viewer posting, 'Anyone else think Ruby giving Ginge her underwear is just weird and disgusting. Imagine the outrage if it was the other way round!'
Another concerned viewer commented on the appropriateness for family viewing, writing, 'For a woman of her age the way ruby wax speaks is disgusting. Very unlady like and I felt embarrassed having my 11 year old watch that.' The incident led to many branding Ruby's behaviour as 'inappropriate and embarrassing'.
However, the veteran comedian also found her defenders. Some viewers saw the funny side, with one noting, 'Ruby giving Ginge her lucky pants was hilarious,' while another tweeted about the surreal nature of the event.
Husband's Arrival and Camp Dynamics
Amid the furore, Ruby's husband of over three decades, Ed Bye, was pictured arriving at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday. Appearing in high spirits, he seemed completely unbothered by the drama surrounding his wife, ready to be reunited with her whenever she is voted out of the jungle in the next 10 days.
The couple, who married in 1988, share three children together: a 37-year-old son named Max, and two daughters, Madeleine, 35, and Marina, 32.
This underwear incident is not the first time Ruby has divided opinion in the camp. In Tuesday's episode, she was also caught on camera stealing food from her campmates, secretly taking a bag of liquorice allsorts for herself, which led to further accusations of being 'selfish'.
Despite the controversies, Ruby and Angry Ginge have developed a close bond in the jungle. In a heartfelt conversation, Ginge opened up to the mental health campaigner about the brutal way an ex-girlfriend broke up with him via text while he was in the middle of a livestream, a story that showcased a more vulnerable side to their friendship.
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly on ITV1 and ITVX.
