Back

‘We’re Finding Out Symon’s A Big Tightarse’: Symon Lovett Reveals The Object That Convinced Him To Go Into The Jungle

While many celebs say they agreed to go into the jungle to be pushed out of their comfort zones, for Symon Lovett it was something else entirely.

“I always really wanted a pair of the boots that they have,” Symon told 10 play.

“I was like, this seems like a good idea! Better than shopping, it’s a much more fun way to get it. Like, you can have this if you pay for it or you can eat this tempura crocodile tongue, what do you reckon?” He said, adding, “I’m taking the croc tongue all day.”

It wasn’t just the boots that appealed to Symon, having spent most of last year in lockdown it was a way to get out of the house and to have a glorified camping trip in the stunning so-called Australian jungle.

To make the deal even sweeter he got to do so with his best mate and former Gogglebox co-star Adam Densten.

“Doing things with your mates is always fun… whenever we’re doing something outrageous that we definitely shouldn’t be doing we always look at each other and are like, this is so good… You’ve got that shared experience.”

While heading into the jungle with his best mate was definitely an advantage,  the boys, however, were the last to join the camp. At that late stage, the celebrities who had been in the jungle since day one had established such strong bonds and connections that Adam and Symon really felt like intruders.

“I think, although it was an advantage we went in together, it was almost like a disadvantage in that people just automatically defaulted to, ‘Okay you guys have got each other’. Like, yeah but just because we’ve got each other doesn’t mean we don’t want to be in the group!”

Surprised by how difficult it was to feel part of the greater group, Symon also said it was tough for him especially.

“I’m pretty quiet and reserved,” Symon said, “especially in big groups. I’m a bit more of a slow burn so I think had we been in there longer it would have gotten better and better.”

It wasn’t until he went on the eating trial on Tuesday night with Dipper and Grant that Symon really started to feel like he had found his place in the gang.

“I finally felt a part of it, and that was on the day I left! That’s a bummer because you would have had that feeling and then another three weeks to really get to know people,” he said.

The eating trial cemented this year’s celebs in the history books as the first-ever group of celebrities to earn the maximum amount of stars at every eating challenge. Watching his efforts, Symon barely flinched as he ate his way through sushi-themed horrors.

“I’m not that good of a cook so I have got a strong stomach,” Symon joked.

“I’m more of a volume guy, my major complaint with the eating trial was that there wasn’t enough food. I needed a bit more to sustain me… I’m more of a value pack kind of guy,” he said.

“What we’re finding out is Symon’s a big tightarse… just wants everything for free!”

While he may have agreed to head into the jungle for some snazzy new boots, Symon was also competing in support of Movember, an organisation that focuses on men’s health with an emphasis on testicular cancer, prostate cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention.

“I’ve had a few friends who have had some pretty severe mental health struggles and I know through the changing stigma around mental health and making it okay to talk to people, being okay to reach out.

“My friends have really taken that on board. We’re super close because we talk,” Symon continued. “I’m always happy to get behind any form of charity that encourages men to talk to each other about more than just the surface stuff. I think it’s really, really important. It does make a difference… it’s so important and effective and Movember do a really good job at publicising that in November. But I wanted people to know they’ve got resources ready to go all year-round.”

You can find out more about Movember as well as the charities the other celebrities are supporting and how you can donate here.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Airs Sunday to Thursday at 7.30 on Network 10 and 10 play