Anthony Mundine talks politics and religion ahead of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
HE’S believed to have fathered seven children to four women, but there may be more — it’s one thing Anthony Mundine won’t talk about as he enters I’m A Celebrity. PLUS: Meet the FULL list of celebs heading into the jungle.
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HE’S believed to have fathered seven children to four women, but there may be more — it’s one thing Anthony Mundine won’t talk about.
But he does argue his indigenous cultural heritage as well as his Islamic religious tradition allows him more than one wife.
“You can have up to four wives done justly, and the same in Aboriginal culture, we are allowed to have more than one wife,” he said. “If I did or I didn’t, I wouldn’t tell anybody, that is my business.”
Mundine will tonight become the first intruder of the new fourth season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
And during his time in the South African jungle, the devout Muslim will be eating halal and praying five times a day.
His religious belief shapes his views of many things. He doesn’t believe in contraception or abortion, for example.
“God gives life. It is a blessing, some people can’t even have kids so it is a blessing just to receive life so that is a big no-no to me,” he said.
Nor does he approve of homosexuality or gay marriage.
“For me the creator, Allah, who created us, who knows us better than we know ourselves, made it (homosexuality) forbidden. That is what the creator has set, these are his perimeters, not mine, and I follow them.”
Mundine’s view of the world, and his commitment to Aboriginal justice, has the 42-year-old now playing with the idea of entering politics. So, Prime Minister Mundine?
“Well Donald Trump is President, it is very realistic. I could be the next Prime Minister and I’d do you all right too,” the former rugby league player turned boxing champ told The Daily Telegraph.
READ MORE: Tennis bad boy Bernard Tomic joins I’m A Celebrity
“I definitely would not be the conventional, I would be the outsider. If I did go in (to politics), I would speak the truth and fight for real justice, not like these Jacky Jackys, if you know what I mean, these coconut ones that go in there, they fight for themselves, not for the people.”
Indigenous issues would be at the fore of any campaign Mundine led and he’s not interested in aligning himself with any particular party.
“I will start my own party,” he declared. “It could be called AM, it could be called The Man, I don’t know what it is going to be called,” he said. “I just want to improve indigenous Australia and my people in order to uplift them and fight for justice in the system. If you look at the statistics, they probably haven’t moved from 10 years ago, the imprisonment rate, black deaths in custody, the suicide rate, mortality, so many statistics still prove that indigenous Australia are at the bottom of the barrel. In order to improve that, three has to be significant changes.”
Going on the show is an opportunity for Mundine to show Australia who he really is.
“I’m feeling a little bit anxious. You are going to get the real Anthony Mundine. The Anthony Mundine you hear about and you’ve heard about as far as perception and the media or whatever, that ain’t me, you are going to see the real me. I am just going to be me and let everyone know how much of a cool cat I am, basically that is it.”
He will join the likes of comedian Fiona O’Loughlin, actor Kerry Armstrong and tennis bad boy Bernard Tomic.
Rumours suggest Mundine’s biggest rival, Danny Green, will go into the jungle down the track, although he is yet to be announced.
Mundine said there’s no chance the two would come to blows on the show though.
“Why are we going to get it on where people can see it for free when they can pay money to see that sort of stuff. I am not a violent person.”
Welcome to the jungle!
A mixed bag of celebrities have made their way into the wilds of South Africa as season four of I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! kick off.
We take a look at who‘s who in the camp.
Josh Gibson, 33
Retired AFL player
Charity: RSPCA
I played AFL for 13 years and I am really excited about the next phase of my life. People talk about sportsmen being tough but there is going to be plenty of things here that will be foreign to me. Being put in a camp with people you don’t know and having to forge new relationships and rely on one another, is a really exciting challenge I am looking forward to.
Fiona O’Loughlin, 54
Comedian
Charity: Angel Flight
I am in the jungle for thigh gap — I am not leaving until I can park a VW comfortably between my legs. Oh, that sounded wrong. I want to be so thin people are worried about me.
Kerry Armstrong, 59
Actor
Charity: Camp Quality
I am a serious actor — I was going to be Katharine Hepburn or Grace Kelly and this is more like Mr Bean. I have really stuffed up. I couldn’t give a shit about turning 60.
If you are worried about getting older on the eve of your birthday, you are going to have a shit day the next day because you are going to be older. The only way to go is, “I can’t wait to get older” and you’ll have a good day. I’m doing this for a few reasons, one is that the mortgage needs to be paid.
Anthony Mundine, 42
Boxer
Charity: Indigenous Community Volunteers
I don’t like slimy stuff and eyeballs and the things I’ve seen before on TV so certain things I might have to pass on if I can’t stomach it. I will be good with the 800 calories, that will last me a day and a night. Give me a couple of days to get used to it, and after about the third day I won’t have to even do the trials (for extra food). I will be sweet.
Bernard Tomic, 25
Tennis star
Charity: Ronald McDonald House
People know me as this tennis player that is crazy and has done this or that, or has problems. Obviously, in their minds, they are a bit unsure (about me) and hopefully I get the chance to change their feelings about me on this show and that is one of the reasons I’m doing it.
Jackie Gillies, 37
Reality TV star
Charity: Moira Kelly Creating Hope Foundation
A lot of people know me as being very confident, but I think they are going to really see quite a vulnerable side to me in the jungle. You can’t get any more vulnerable than sitting in the jungle with people you don’t know and being challenged to your extreme limits.
Shannon Noll, 42
Aussie rocker
Charity: Black Dog Ride
I would like to think, in all honesty, that people can get to know me again, like they did on Australian Idol.
There’s been a lot of things come out here and there and stuff was sensationalised pretty heavily — a lot of it with no actual care for the details of the situation. That comes with the territory, you know.
I would like people to get to know me instead of having a made-up opinion of stuff that they’ve read, for good or for bad. So this maybe is just me being myself and hopefully people will see what they saw the first time, maybe on Idol.
Simone Holtznagel, 24
Model
Charity: Beyond Blue
I don’t know, but I am going to assume that I am probably the youngest person going in. Obviously you would expect them to be a lot more sure of themselves. So I think it might be a different thing for me, but we will see.
I am a bit of a picky eater. I’ve been modelling 10 years, so I am not concerned about not having any food. Honestly, I’m really not. I am so excited to lose a couple of kilos.
Peter Rowsthorn, 54
Comedian
Charity: Wirrpanda Foundation
I’ve got nothing to lose by doing this. I’ve always turned them down, I’ve turned down Dancing With The Stars, Celebrity Apprentice and the first three of these, but I watched the last series and thought it looked kind of fun.
I’m turning 55 and a little career kick wouldn’t hurt! It is a charity-based thing and I get to donate to a charity that I love and also have an experience I wouldn’t normally
get to have.
Tiffany, 46
Pop singer
Charity: Red Kite
I am so sorry in advance. I am not going to look great for a while, let’s get real. These fake eyelashes are going to come off, my hair will get bigger and bigger — I am going to look like a bush. I am going to have to take a fabulous album cover shoot to redeem myself. I will eat anything — bring it, I can eat it. It will be disgusting and I might barf but that is probably one of my strengths.
I am glad I am married because that is not a hot thing to say: “hey, I am the lady who will eat worms, wanna go out on a date?” I don’t know if that is an attribute at this point in my life, but I think that is one of my strengths in this challenge.