ITV I’m A Celeb’s Sam Thompson reacts to Nigel Farage’s £1.5m payday
I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! winner Sam Thompson has admitted that he was so desperate to star on the popular ITV show that he would have signed up for free.
It's likely a vast contrast to what his former campmate Nigel Farage would say after his reported massive £1.5million earnings just to take part on this year's edition of the reality show.
The former MP and hotly-debated Brexit politician, 59, previously insisted that he doesn't know what's "wrong" with pocketing that kind of cash while I'm A Celeb winner Sam, 31, was shocked to find out Nigel's fee.
Speaking to The Times after flying back to the UK, Sam struggled to hide his surprise when he learned campmate Nigel's hefty sign up fee. He even joked Nigel could "buy five houses for that!"
He told the publication: "Mate, I would have done it for anything! I would have been a very, very easy negotiation. I would have paid them to be on it.
"It wasn't monetary, or a career move, I genuinely wanted to go and eat camel's penis. I wanted to meet Ant [McPartlin] and Dec [Donnelly], they're my heroes, the most iconic people of my life."
After learning of Nigel's vast show fee, Sam added: "Was he? Bloody hell! I didn't have a clue. You could buy five houses for that!'
He also said that Nigel was a "really fascinating guy" and explained that he "never had a down day" during his time in the jungle.
Since finishing in third place on the show, Nigel has addressed the reports that he was paid a massive £1.5million.
The former MP, who was one of the most divisive characters to enter the jungle this year, spoke to Ed Balls and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain to defend his whopper pay check.
He said: "Look, the money. Of course. What's wrong with that? I gave up a very successful career in the City of London in the commodity markets. Colleagues of mine are on the rich list.
"I gave all that up. I live very modestly and have done for years. I did it because I had a political career. I've never moaned about it. Never complained about it," the new reality star went on.
He added: "But is this the biggest pay check I've ever had? Yes, it is. What is wrong with that?".
Sam's shock at Nigel's pay check comes just a week after he was announced as the winner of I'm A Celebrity.
The new King of the Jungle also now shares a special bond with runner-up Tony Bellew, 41, and the pair have already been exchanging messages since arriving back in the UK.
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