Legendary Italian jockey Frankie Dettori has had plenty of success on the racetrack in a glittering career spanning 36 years, but he’s currently losing the race to be crowned King of the Jungle in this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! currently streaming on ITV1 and ITVX.
The 52-year-old, who announced last month that he would be prolonging his career in USA rather than retiring at the end of this year, was a late entry into the Australian jungle. Frankie was accompanied by boxer Tony Bellew when he joined the original camp-mates last week, and the new duo were immediately announced as camp coaches for a series of trials.
Frankie Dettori has since settled into the I’m A Celebrity camp, rubbing along with camp-mates including Nigel Farage and JLS singer Marvin Humes, and he shared the story of his decision not to retire with Jamie Lynn Spears during their washing-up duties.
In last night’s programme, the public had voted for Frankie Dettori to take part in his first bushtucker trial alongside YouTuber Nella Rose – Dreaded Beds at the Misery Motel. Lying in neighbouring motel rooms, Frankie and Nella had to work out the codes to release padlocks to coin-filled boxes. There were 30 coins up for grabs, which could be spent in the jungle vending machine on either stars for meals in camp, treats or other luxury items.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’ll get as many stars as we can,” said Frankie Dettori enthusiastically before the trial, while Nella looked less happy about the challenge. “There’s a lot at stake, but we’re going to try not to let them down.”
Josie Gibson piped up to Nella, who is already a bushtucker trial veteran, “You’ve got Frankie Dettori, who else do you want?”
Frankie Dettori on I’m A Celebrity: ‘Be brave, be brave!’
Frankie was full of fighting talk, and his mantra as he headed through the jungle to meet I’m A Celebrity hosts Ant and Dec was, “Be brave, be brave.”
Nella and Frankie had 10 minutes to complete this seemingly straightforward task, although of course, this being I’m A Celebrity, it was made far more difficult when Frankie’s bed was plunged into total darkness, so he had to feel around for the four-digit codes and shout the numbers out to Nella Rose in the next room. They were then also joined by some new room-mates – dozens of writhing snakes.
“What have you got there, Frankie?” asked Dec when the reptiles emerged.
“Nice, slimy things,” he replied.
It soon became clear that the pair were struggling with the task in hand and Nella even had to contend with one serpent taking a bite.
“The snake might do it quicker,” chuckled Ant as the pair appeared to despair with the two camp-mates’ strategy.
Frankie Dettori celebrating his win in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot aboard Gregory in 2023.
A snake in Frankie Dettori’s trousers
“One of them is trying to get into my pants, that’s nice,” exclaimed Frankie, who finished seventh in Celebrity Big Brother in 2013 after lasting 21 days in the Big Brother house. “One is in my pants now.”
With the 10 minutes up, the pair had failed miserably, unable to unlock any of the padlocks and they became the first camp-mates to return to camp without any stars.
“We tried,” reflected Frankie before the deflated duo returned to their jungle camp-mates. “It was very hard. The snake went into my trousers, across my manhood – it had a look and said ‘Well that’s no threat’ and it carried on past.
“We hoped we’d at least get something. But it wasn’t to be. But there are plenty more trials ahead. We haven’t finished yet, we’ve got plenty more in us, we’ll do better next time.”
Ant summed up, “How did they do such a terrible job?”
Bookies currently have Frankie Dettori as one of the rank outsiders to win I’m A Celebrity at odds of around 80/1 while Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson is the new favourite to win. Frankie is among the favourites to be the first to be voted out when the eliminations start early next week.
Frankie said before going into the I’m A Celebrity jungle, “I’m a touch nervous, but I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t. My wife says I have the concentration span of a flea. Sometimes I agree with her. I feel sorry for my campmates because I’ll arrive in there full of energy, already well fed, so I hope I give them a bit of my energy. I haven’t got any strategy – just try to survive.”
Frankie also said his role in camp would be “to have fun with everyone, I’m a happy-go-lucky person,” and that his dream camper would be Robbie Williams.
Can the champion jockey make a winning comeback in the race to be crowned I’m A Celebrity King of the Jungle? With Frankie Dettori, anything is possible.
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