The world of reality television has been set abuzz by a surprising vocal controversy emanating from the Australian jungle. Tom Read-Wilson, the beloved receptionist from Celebs Go Dating, has found himself at the centre of a 'fake voice' row after a surprising accent reveal on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.
Jungle Accent Shock
The drama unfolded around the campfire when the 39-year-old TV personality, a late addition to the camp alongside Vogue Williams, suddenly dropped his famously posh accent. In a moment that left his fellow contestants utterly floored, Tom adopted a thick cockney twang to jokingly chat up co-star Kelly Brook.
When questioned about his dating history by Jack Osbourne, Tom responded in a completely different, husky voice, telling Kelly she 'fit the bill, you totally fit the bill babe'. The unexpected shift prompted widespread bafflement among viewers at home, many of whom began questioning which voice was the real Tom Read-Wilson.
Later, in the Bush Telegraph, Tom continued the charade, jibing towards the camera: 'Do you know what? That Tom character with all the fancy language, it is so exhausting. Much nicer to hang in here.' He then dramatically reverted to his familiar refined tones, remarking: 'Oh God, what's wrong with me?'
Co-Star Comes to the Defence
Now, Tom's Celebs Go Dating co-star Anna Williamson has waded into the growing controversy. The 44-year-old television personality has insisted that the voice audiences have come to know is absolutely genuine.
She told The Sun: 'Everybody is seeing exactly who Tom is. There is no act. It's really funny, all the stuff around his accent and voice.' Anna elaborated further, explaining her familiarity with Tom's regular speaking patterns. 'I'm so used to Tom being Tom, and Tom speaking as he does, which is his usual very posh voice. To hear such conversation around it, is it real, isn't it, when he does his accent is really funny. I can confirm Tom does speak how Tom speaks, as in his normal voice.'
Williamson went on to praise seeing Tom 'doing his thing' on the ITV reality series, adding that he was 'so accurately represented' in the show as 'hugely likeable'.
Mum Reveals the Truth
Following the on-screen moment, Tom's mother Juliette Cheeseman also opened up about her son's distinctive voice, confirming to the Daily Mail that he has always 'been articulate'.
She revealed: 'He was born with a dictionary in his mouth. His father is an English teacher, so that's where he gets it from. He doesn't get it from me, unfortunately. But he's always been like that, which is great. Sometimes I don't understand what he says! But it's good.'
The proud mum also commented on watching her son bravely lay down among snakes during a recent Bushtucker Trial, where he managed to keep his cool despite one sliding up his trousers. She admitted she had no idea her son was so 'courageous', though added: 'I did deep down know he was quite courageous.'
Cheeseman expressed her delight at viewers getting to know the real Tom, saying: 'He's just surpassed all my expectations. He's doing so well. I've enjoyed seeing his personality and people starting to see the real Tom - people who haven't seen him before. I just think he's really coming across well, and hopefully that carries on. He's great.'
Viewer Reactions and Jungle Life
Fans of I'm A Celebrity have had plenty to say about Tom's accent since his debut, with some even questioning whether his sophisticated speech patterns were generated by artificial intelligence.
One sceptical viewer wrote: 'Tom on I'm A Celeb is AI surely - can't be real,' while another chimed in: 'Tom this is I'm a celeb not a Shakespeare play man cool arffffff.'
However, many others have simply praised Tom as a 'breath of fresh air' and gushed over his personality and bravery. One viewer penned: 'Catching up on I'm a Celeb... I love Tom Read Wilson, he is an absolute breath of fresh air,' while another agreed: 'Tom Wilson is f**king brilliant.'
Ahead of his jungle stint, Tom admitted to the Daily Mail that he had 'never been quite so frightened'. He revealed experiencing a 'little bit of a wobble' before entering camp, particularly about being separated from the children in his life. 'I've got five godkids and three nephews, all of whom I speak to multiple times a week and see multiple times a month. So that is going to be a real wrench. I think that's why I had a wobble.'
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues to air at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX and STV.
