The new series of I’m A Celebrity South Africa kicked off on ITV last night, and Shaun Ryder is already emerging as a fan favourite.
The Happy Mondays star was one of several famous faces who headed into the star-studded camp, in its new location in South Africa.
Also joining the new spin-off of the hit ITV show were Amir Khan, Helen Flanagan, Jordan Banjo, Carol Vorderman, Fatima Whitbread, Paul Burrell, Phil Tufnell, and Janice Dickinson.
But the series had already promised a few more surprises and late-arrival campmates – and their first surprise delivered some TV gold.
Right at the end of last night’s episode, as the celebrities were settling in to their new home, ITV dropped a mysteriously giant box into camp.
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Shaun Ryder, who had previously commented that ‘there doesn’t seem to be any knobheads’, was soon eating his words when his former TV nemesis Gillian McKeith burst out of the box.
Gillian McKeith arriving in a giant box on I’m A Celebrity. Credit: ITVGillian McKeith arriving in a giant box on I’m A Celebrity. Credit: ITVShaun Ryder and Gillian McKeith are back together in the I’m A Celebrity jungle
The smile dropped from his face the second he recognised his former campmate, who he butted heads with back in 2010.
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He had labelled her ‘a f***ing irritating woman’, and frequently lashed out at her.
Shaun even told told Ant and Dec when he left the jungle: “If Gillian was my wife, she would be in pieces in a plastic bag, deep in a hole in the back garden.”
In response to Gillian entering the I’m A Celebrity camp, he simply said: “Oh… F***ing hell.”
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And when Paul Burrell asked if she was ‘mad as a box of frogs’, Shaun replied: “Yeah. I nearly killed her.”
He later said in the diary room: “Gillian arrived in a box. She should have stayed in the box folks…”
Fans are obviously loving the drama, and seem to mostly be Team Shaun.
One person said: “I’m a celeb bringing Gillian mckeith in with Shaun Ryder is one of the best things to happen to British tv for years.”
Another wrote: “However this series pans out, putting Shaun Ryder and Gillian McKeith in the jungle together again is a genius TV move.”
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Someone else said: “Shaun ryder is gonna carry this series and if he dosent win its a robbery.”
Everyone strap in – there’s gonna be fireworks.
Featured image: ITV
TV & Showbiz
Dame Sarah Storey is going on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Danny Jones
Record-breaking local athlete and Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, is set to become the latest to join the Strictly Come Dancing annals.
With the Strictly cast for 2026 steadily being unveiled, we always keep an eye out for the Greater Manchester names in particular.
That being said, we’re buzzing to see the hugely successful Stockport swimmer turned cyclist will be swapping her Team GB kit for sparkly, sequined ballroom gowns and an entirely different type of sport and fitness.
Announced on Friday, 17 July, Storey is the seventh celebrity to be confirmed for the 24th series of the hit BBC show and dancing competition.
Having represented her country not only at nine Paralympics but across two different disciplines after switching to the racing bike back in 2005, she’s our most decorated competitor in the entire history of the Games with 30 medals to her name – 19 of which are gold.
Absolute GOAT levels.
But now the Cheadle Hulme-born is once again set to show her versatility to see how she fares on the dance floor later this year.
Commenting ahead of the new-look season which starts this September, the 48-year-old said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.
“I have always loved watching Strictly, and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”
This latest sea-change comes not long after the local legend and sporting icon officially announced her retirement from professional sport more than three decades on from first bursting onto the scene.
Thank you for taking the time to leave all the incredible messages. It’s so wonderful to read them and thank you for being the greatest supporters 🥰
— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) July 9, 2026
What a career she’s had; it obviously didn’t take her long to get tired of sitting still for once, either.
She will be joined by the likes of Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer and Will Best.
In case you missed it, the upcoming edition of Strictly Come Dancing will be the first since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe stepping in as replacements.
In other starring Stockport news, we’ve finally got more info on the final season of a popular programme filmed in the area. Find out more down below.
Micah Richards reveals dad ‘unexpectedly’ died shortly before going on air for England v Argentina last night
Emily Sergeant
Micah Richards has revealed that his dad died shortly before he went on air for the World Cup semi final last night.
The former right back – who most-notably played for Manchester City for a decade from 2005-2015, and for the England national team from 2006-2012 – was one of the BBC’s pundits providing on-air analysis last night as England faced Argentina in a highly anticipated semi final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup last night.
The two teams faced off in Atlanta, and while goals came from both sides, it was ultimately Argentina that reigned supreme – securing a 2-1 win over the Three Lions.
But while much of the country is grieving the fact that football won’t be ‘coming home’ (well, for another two years at least), Richards is grieving on a deeper level.
He took to Instagram after the loss last night to share with his 1.4m followers that shortly before he went on air, his father Lincoln passed away ‘unexpectedly’ – calling him the ‘proudest parent possible’ in a touching tribute.
“He has left us all too soon,” Richards began in his tribute.
“Hwas my greatest fan. He barely missed a game my entire life. He would take me wherever I needed to go when I was a kid and he was the proudest parent possible during my professional career. It was so rare for him to not be by my side.
“I know how much watching England World Cup games means to everyone at home, and how the experience bonds families together across the generations, like nothing else.
“I know, particularly as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, dad would’ve wanted the show to go on this evening. And so it did.”
Daisy Jackson -
25th April 2023 
