Tom Read Wilson reveals why he would 'never' do I'm A Celebrity...South Africa
Tom Read Wilson has no plans to relive his jungle experience on I'm A Celebrity...South Africa - the all-stars version of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!.
Tom Read Wilson will "never" do I'm A Celebrity...South Africa.
The 39-year-old presenter fears the ITV all-stars spin-off show will overshadow the memories he made on the original Australia-based series, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, which the star did in 2025, and finished as a runner-up.
Asked by Heat magazine if I'm A Celebrity...South Africa would be on the cards, Tom replied: "Never. I had such a special time that I want to sort of preserve that memory.
"I just don't think it could be repeated. For me, I think it's once in a lifetime."
The Celebs Go Dating receptionist said his campmates, including winner-and-Twitch streamer Angryginge, 24, Emmerdale icon Lisa Riley, 49, and comedy legend Ruby Wax, 73, played a big part in making the experience unforgettable.
Asked if he is still in touch with the cast, Tom said: "Oh, absolutely!
"I breakfasted with Ruby about three weeks ago at her lovely house. It was very special."
Tom's appearance on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! made him realise that it was a shared experience with the viewers.
He explained: "The audience feel as though they've lived through it with you.
"I had so many lovely things where people would dash up to me, and they'd say, 'I was so worried about you!' It's so touching.
"Suddenly, you realise the television is a very intimate portal, because I've been in people's bedrooms, on the television."
Tom and media personality Vogue Williams, 40, were the late arrivals into camp in last year's series.
And he admitted to having had a "wobble" about his delayed entry.
Speaking about a recent taxi journey, Tom told the Daily Mail: "It's funny because I got into a car the other day, and I had a little bit of a wobble.
"And without telling the driver anything, I said, 'Well, I'm just about to do this thing that's rather challenging, and I don't know if I'm very well-equipped.'
"'I've got a lot of small people in my 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."
But Tom felt better after his driver, Abdi, "really contextualised" his concerns.
He explained: "Abdi said, 'Look at that enormous tree outside the car. If I told you to climb that tree, you'd be very daunted. But he said, once you'd started, you'd find a little groove to put your foot in. You'd find a branch that would bear your weight.
"'Before you knew it, piecemeal, you'd be in the canopy, and you wouldn't know how you got there.'"
Tom admitted it was the "perfect" piece of advice, and he felt it was fate that he had met the driver.
He added: "I was so, so delighted because it just suddenly put everything in perspective. So I think I've got the same fear, but he really contextualised it for me.
"It's a funny thing with fear historically for me because it's one of those things that swells and swells and swells in my mind. And as soon as I start something, I'm actually much better."
