I’m A Celebrity 2020: Vernon Kay leaves viewers in stitches as he overcooks octopus for dinner

Vernon Kay left viewers in stitches as he overcooked octopus for dinner during Sunday’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The broadcaster, 47, stepped in as self-appointed head chef for the camp as he joined journalist Victoria Derbyshire, who had advised him to reduce the time spent on preparing the dish.

Ignoring the 52-year-old journalist’s suggestions, the radio star kept the food in the pan after cheekily comparing the meal to Shane Richie’s testicles.

The group were awarded the meat as a treat after host Victoria had won nine out of 11 stars during the Critter Clink trial.

Joking about its appearance in raw form, Vernon quipped: ‘It’s like your b***bag Shane. It’s like when he gets out the bath!’, to which the amused actor replied: ‘I take that as a compliment.’ 

BBC star Victoria had instructed the father-of-two to minimise the cooking time as she said: ‘It’s well crunchy, you don’t want to overcook it’, but he insisted to boil the food for two more minutes.

Sharing their thoughts on the platter, singer Russell Watson, 54, said: ‘It’s not great, it’s like a Bushtucker Trial!’, before soap star Shane, 56, added: ‘It’s like chewing a condom!’

Fans took to Twitter in their droves to poke fun at the mishap as they wrote: ‘Eating that octopus is more of a challenge than that easy trial….#ImACeleb.

‘If Vernon had listened to Victoria and served the octopus when she said it would not have been chewy and horrible. Vernon ruined it by fiercely boiling it. #ImACeleb 

‘How have they campmates never given themselves food poisoning?Who actually knows how to cook octopus without instructions?

‘The Octopus Octopus looks like Shane’s b***bag! Omg dying! #imacelebrity #ImACeleb’. (sic)

Elsewhere in the episode, Ruthie Hensall became the second campmate to be eliminated from this year’s series. 

On her departure, the stage actress, 53, held back tears as she anticipated reuniting with her daughters Lily, 17, and Dolly, 15, stating: ‘I get to see my girls! As a mother you just think about the things you do wrong, not the things you do right.’ 

The remaining ten celebrities will continue to be evicted from the programme’s new location of Gwrych Castle in North Wales each night until the series finale on Friday, after parasport athlete Hollie Arnold was booted from the series earlier this week.  

The Cats star – who shares her children with her ex-husband, musician Tim Howar, 51 – detailed her short stint during an exit interview with hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, declaring: ‘That was brutal. I can already taste my burger.

‘You have absolutely no control in there, the rollercoaster of emotions is ridiculous. You start thinking about things that you haven’t thought about in years, but everyone is there is so delightful and there was a real camaraderie in there.’

The artist didn’t hold back by sharing revelations in the camp as she confessed to sleeping with ‘lovely bloke’ Prince Edward inside Buckingham Palace.

Admitting she didn’t believe she’d be candid on the series, the West End star said: ‘It was Shane [Richie]! He asked me all the questions. I thought I wouldn’t spill the beans. I felt like I was having a chat with a mate, but only afterwards you think of the ramifications.

‘I felt that I go into the outside world and I’m Ruthie, and that’s not really totally who I am. I felt today the most myself than I have this whole time.’

Ruthie fought back emotion when she discussed her teenage children, sharing: ‘I’ve been a single mother for so long. You try to figure out how to deal with each situation and you wish there was someone to say, ”It’s alright, I’ll do it”. My emotions were completely on the surface. I’d say I’m emotional anyway, but… I’m so sorry [giggles].’

On who she’d love to win the 20th edition, the She Loves Me actress said: ‘I wish they all could, but G[iovanna Fletcher] has been amazing, I reckon Shane will also [do well].’