Gay designer zips into jungle

By Marc Shoffman • November 9, 2006 - 0:00

Henshall, 22, became the youngest designer to show at London Fashion Week this year

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A gay fashion designer, a former soap-star and Tony Blair's sister in-law will be roaring into the jungle for the latest series of ITV's reality show I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here next week.

Gay designer Scott Henshall, who has dressed stars such as Paris Hilton and Kylie Minogue, says he aims to attract some male talent in the jungle, where he will be joined by ex Neighbours heartthrob Jason Donovan, and Lauren Booth, half-sister of the Prime Minister's wife.

Henshall, 22, became the youngest designer to show at London Fashion Week this year. He said: "Most people in fashion would be disgusted that I'm even doing a reality TV show," he confesses. "But as far as I'm concerned it's as good being in Heat magazine as it is being in Vogue.

"Most people in the industry I'm in are evil and horrible and I don't even mix with them. This is why I'm doing this kind of show. Because you work in fashion, people sometimes think it's pretentious, it's all glamour, and to an extent it is, but at the end of the day I'm still a good Northern boy and I'm just doing fashion as my job."

He says he will be on the lookout for "cute straight boys."

"I want really fit hot cute straight boys that I'm going to convert from straight men to gay men, because I always prefer straight men to gay men. I'm going to have my own little clique and get them all in there and they'll be my little posse."

The other celebrity contestants include Heart FM DJ and TV presenter Toby Anstis, journalist, comedienne and impersonator Faith Brown, music mogul and producer David Gest; musician and TV presenter Myleene Klass, ex newsreader Jan Leeming, Footballers Wives and The Bill actress Phina Oruche and solo singer, formerly with the band Busted, Matt Willis.

Plush pads are swapped for a jungle clearing in the Australian wilderness, bed is a hammock under the stars, food will be basic rations of rice and water and to earn a half decent evening meal they will have to undergo some of the most terrifying Bushtucker Trials yet seen.

Filmed 24 hours a day with a series of live shows beamed direct to the UK, it will be the viewers at home that control the fortunes of the celebrity campers, with the power to put a grin or grimace on their well known faces!

Six series in, the celebrities may think they know what to expect, but producers have more than a few surprises up their sleeves:

Executive Producer Richard Cowles said: "The celebrities have always felt that the one thing they had on their side in camp was each other - but this year there won't necessarily be safety in numbers.

"There is one big, never before seen surprise for the celebrities and whether it's a welcome one remains to be seen.

"With a few twists as well as some of the best Bushtucker trials seen yet, the celebrities certainly have a challenge ahead. We are really excited to see how things unfold!"

The celebrities confidently claim that they can cope without the trappings of fame but this will put them to the ultimate test. They will leave behind their luxury homes, forgo slap up meals in the finest restaurants and forget about the assistants who wait on them hand and foot to live in a place where celebrity status counts for nothing.

And if they fall out with each other they can take cold comfort in the fact that their new neighbours will be some of the deadliest creatures on earth - including scorpions, snakes and poisonous spiders.

It all starts on Monday November 13 2006 at 2100 GMT, presented by Ant and Dec.

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