I’m A Celebrity 2020: Vernon Kay voted out to take third place

Vernon Kay has come in third place during I’m A Celebrity’s live finale on Friday.

The presenter, 46, went up against Giovanna Fletcher and Jordan North to win the title of King Of The Castle, but fell short in the public vote.

After it was revealed he had come in third, Vernon hugged his competitors and said: ‘Well done you two, I’ve had the best time, you’ve been awesome.’ 

After Shane Richie’s departure on Thursday, the trio were in shock as they said goodbye to the EastEnders star, with Giovanna saying ‘humour and stories has kept many of us going’ while Jordan claimed Shane was his pick to win the show.

Vernon said he was in ‘complete and utter shock’ with the result, and added: ‘He’s been a top bloke. It means the world for me that I’m in the final. I’m flabbergasted.

Growing teary-eyed, he told his wife Tess Daly and their daughters Phoebe and Amber: ‘Tess I love you baby, forever and ever, and girls I hope I made you proud.’

Reflecting on being in the final, Giovanna joked that if she won the show she’d ‘just have everyone call me Queen from now on.’

Vernon was given a terrifying task for his final trial, as he took part in the Table of Torment which saw him get strapped down and covered in a variety of critters as well as rotten fruit and vegetables. 

The endurance test saw Vernon play for the starters of their final dinner, with the first three stars for the meal, a fourth for a drink, and a fifth for a treat of his choice.

Vernon was shackled to the table for a total of ten minutes, and every two minutes he endured while covered in the bugs and other detritus earned him one star. 

Shocked by the horrendous smell of the rotten fruit and vegetables, Vernon told Dec and Ant McPartlin: ‘Oh my god that’s disgusting, that stinks.’ 

Despite the uncomfortable feeling, and biting critters, Vernon endured the full 10 minutes by singing to himself and thus earned all the stars as he claimed: ‘That is the most horrific thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.’ 

Giovanna ate a Bull’s penis as Vernon was covered in bugs while strapped to a table for their last trials during the show’s finale, which saw each of the stars take part in one last gruelling task.

The author competed in the Frightening Feast trial so that she could try and win stars that would provide the main meals for her, Vernon, and Jordan’s final dinner together in the camp.

During her gruelling challenge, Giovanna was tasked with also eating a fermented duck egg, a cow’s nose, raw fish eye, sheep’s testicle. 

In an amusing moment, Giovanna powered through the trial and ate everything quickly as she commented that she hadn’t ‘gagged yet’ despite eating the duck’s egg and cow’s nose with ease. 

She then had the testicle served up on a silver platter, and she claimed it was ‘disappointing on the lamb front’ as Ant asked if it tasted ‘testically’.

Giovanna quipped back: ‘Of the testicles I’ve had in my mouth?’, and Dec told any kids who were watching from home that it was time for bed now. 

The first three stars were for the main meals while the fourth would account for a drink, while the fifth and final star counted towards a treat of Giovanna’s choice.

Giovanna had to eat the fermented duck egg first, which co-host Declan Donnelly joked: ‘I’ve done this, I’m so sorry, it’s quite bad.’

Despite the edible horrors in front of her, Giovanna took her time with them, including 17 minutes to eat the testicle, but she managed to successfully complete the trial and win all of the stars.

It was Jordan’s job to earn the desserts for their final meal, and to do so he took the Iron Maiden on for his final trial in the camp.

The radio presenter was locked inside a cage for ten minutes as snakes were lowered in with him, and every two minutes he endured meant he would win a star – the first three for their meals, while the other two could be used for a drink and treat.

While he was in the cage with the slithering creatures, Jordan cried out: ‘Oh god, it’s a snake. Happy place. Happy place! I’m going to be drinking gin with Bev in Spain.’

Jordan tried to keep his mind occupied while he completed the trial, and although he was shaking while the snakes slid over him he engaged Ant and Dec in conversation, even asking them to sign his books if he managed to complete the task. 

Despite his fears, Jordan managed to successfully complete the trial, which meant their final dinner was a veritable feast. 

Ahead of the show, co-hosts Ant and Dec shared an amusing snap alongside Kiosk Cledwyn, which they put together with ‘the magic of photoshop’ to ensure they remained a safe distance apart.

In the picture, the Geordie duo smiled brightly while looking at their stony-faced friend, who stared straight into the camera with his arms crossed.

Copying his signature stance, Ant laughed in delight while Dec couldn’t help but grin as they marked the final day of 2020’s edition of the show.

They wrote in the caption: ‘Thanks for the bants Kiosk Cledwyn. You had big shoes to fill and miserably fill them you did!* *The magic of photoshop meant we (luckily) didn’t have to stand two metres away from him.’