Reality TV star Spencer Matthews has expressed his heartfelt disappointment at missing his wife Vogue Williams' emotional exit from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, as he competes in an extreme endurance challenge on the other side of the world.
An Emotional Tribute from the Ice
From the freezing wilderness of Antarctica, where he is undertaking a gruelling series of Iron Man races, Spencer took to Instagram to pay a gushing tribute to his wife. The Irish model and presenter, 40, became the third celebrity eliminated from the jungle on Monday night after finding herself in the bottom two with fellow contestant Kelly Brook, 46.
Alongside a loving photograph of the couple, Spencer penned a message of immense pride. "Disappointed to hear that my gorgeous Vogue is out of I’m A Celeb but I’m so proud of the brave stint she did in there," he wrote. He praised her for showing "heart, courage and fearlessness" in trials and for being a "positive and pragmatic figure" around camp.
He added, "I would have loved nothing more than to have been there for her when she came out and am sending so much love from Antarctica." Vogue was met off the iconic bridge by her agent, Louisa McDonald, in her husband's absence.
Family Reunion and Camp Tensions
Matthews, who is completing his seventh and final Iron Man across seven continents, highlighted a silver lining to her early departure. "On the positive side, we can now all FaceTime," he said, noting she would have missed their three children Theodore, seven, Gigi, five, and Otto, two, "like mad." He is due to be reunited with his family in London next week.
Meanwhile, during her exit interview, Vogue admitted she was "delighted" to be leaving after struggling with the lack of food, though she would miss her campmates. She also addressed the simmering tensions viewers had witnessed, particularly around camp chores. "Ginge and Aitch are a bit resistant to their chores," she said, referencing the so-called 'cup-gate' incident. "I just turned into what I’m like at home."
She later threw her support behind comedian Ruby Wax, 72, to be crowned Queen of the Jungle, claiming she "had it in the bag." Fans on social media speculated that Vogue's numerous clashes with the popular duo AngryGinge and Aitch contributed to her receiving the fewest public votes.
A Love Letter from Rio
The couple's strong bond was highlighted just before her exit, when campmates received letters from home. Vogue's note was written by Spencer as he prepared for his sixth consecutive Iron Man race in Brazil.
It read: "The kids and I are so unbelievably proud of you... Watching you take on The Jungle with courage, humour and heart fills us with admiration." He shared that thinking of their reunion helped him through his own physical trials, signing off: "I couldn’t love you more and am so proud of the woman you are."
While Spencer tackles the final leg of his Antarctic challenge, their children are being cared for in London by Vogue's mother, Sandra, as the family counts down the days until they are all together again.
