Jungle reject Timmy Mallett set for Weston panto

by Vicki FitzGerald

Jungle reject Timmy Mallett has told the Bristol Evening Post he will return to the UK next week to star in the Weston-super-Mare pantomime.

The comic children's TV presenter spent 11 days in the Australian jungle on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! but left the show on Sunday evening.

After the public vote Timmy found himself in the bottom two with Brian Paddick, ex-deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

But instead of the show's hosts Ant and Dec announcing which celebrity was to leave, they told the pair they would take part in a head to head trial.

The trial called The Last Chance Saloon saw the jungle campers eat cocktails made from insects and they even had to eat a sandworm. It was a tough challenge for both with Timmy being a vegetarian and Brian saying this was the one challenge he would find difficult.

But Brian raced to the finishing line, forcing Timmy to leave the jungle.

In an interview with the Bristol Evening Post Timmy said he had enjoyed the experience but was looking forward to coming to Weston.

He said: "I am looking forward to doing pantomime in Weston, I came down for the preview in August but I am looking forward to coming back and being the King of Weston.

"I will be bringing some of my I'm a Celebrity antics with me such as my Biff Baff Boff song, I have a special entrance planned and we may even include a bush tucker trial in the eating part of the pantomime.

"I will also bring some of the old favourites, my mallet and itsy bitsy.

"I loved my jungle experience but I'm exhausted to be honest.

"I am a lively, excitable person. I loved howling in the jungle, I think you are a long time dead so you should get out there and live life.

"I expected to be there until Thursday and remain in the camp with David, Jo and Nicola, which I thought would be a colourful mix.

"It was an interesting way to go and I was surprised to be in the bottom two.

"I was not voted off. I was beaten in a fair challenge, though I forgot to go Blah! and show my tongue after drink one, which could have meant I stayed. I fully expected to beat him and I gave it my all."

"The last challenge was to was a metre-long sandworm, which was revolting, I can still taste it now and I think it was the worst thing I did in the jungle."

Timmy known for his loud shirts, comedy glasses and his giant pink foam mallet is playing Smee in Peter Pan at the Playhouse Theatre.

● Tickets for the show, which runs from December 16-January 11, 2009, are available from the Box Office on 01934 64 55 44.