Mike Tindall strips down to his budgie smugglers in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here

Mike Tindall has shown himself to be on the ball, quite literally, as he films I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here. Because whatever your opinion of the divisive swimmers, there’s no escaping – they’re back in fashion.

Batten down your budgies – Speedos have been given the royal seal of approval.

This week, British viewers got an eyeful as Mike Tindall showed off his down under Down Under, in a pair of budgie smugglers. He’s currently residing in the Australian “jungle” for I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!

On the show, the ex-England rugby star cooled off in the creek in a tropical-print pair of mini-swimmers, emblazoned with pineapples and yes, bananas, which heated up the viewers.

The response was divided – the UK show’s hosts Ant and Dec, queried whether he’d packed wife Zara’s bikini bottoms by mistake.

Many people tweeted their retinas had been burned out, while others marvelled how well the 44-year-old filled his togs. Viewers subsequently dubbed him a “bald Thor”. Praise, indeed.

Mike Tindall’s Aussie swimwear moment divided British viewers, which some appreciative of sight and others left feeling like they had copped an eyeful. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Mike was guaranteed to be good value on the reality show and hasn’t disappointed.

He’s already regaled his fellow contestants with tales of how he repeatedly splits his trousers at family events, because he dances too enthusiastically and they don’t fit, thanks to his “rugby player’s bum and legs”.

Mike Tindall on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Viewers dubbed him “bald Thor”.

He admitted he regularly takes a spare suit with him, for when the first one rips.

“Zara had like, a 30th birthday, it was a disco ’70s themed one,” he said. “I was dancing on the dance floor, I had like flares on, full outfit but it was quite tight, nothing ever fits … so I was dancing with my mother-in-law and I did a slut drop in front of my mother-in-law,” he said, painting an unexpected picture of what goes on at royal get-togethers.

Now, let’s pause while we remind ourselves that Mike’s mother-in-law is Princess Anne. And continue … “Ripped my trousers, straight in front of her,” he said.

“It happened to be that my boxers that I had on at that time said, ‘nibble my nuts’,” Mike said.

Despite being royals, Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips have a track record of being unstuffy. Picture: Getty Images

Proof that Anne really is a royal legend, he continued, “As I turn round, she’s gone, ‘I’d rather not.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’m going.’ And I walked off.”

His camp-mates gave him a round of applause. Truly, this is the kind of royal detail we are here for – if only we could see this sort of content on The Crown, never mind the silly Ghillies Ball.

Tindall more dressed up in the jungle.

And trying his hand at surfing on an earlier trip to Australia.

Meanwhile, dismayed Netflix execs are probably wishing they’d dropped USD$100 million on a documentary about Mike and Zara, instead of their cousins Harry and Meghan.

I bet there’s no dirty-dad-dancing in the Sussex’s upcoming show, more’s the pity. Or Speedos.

Former PM Tony Abbott famously loved swimming and competing in budgie smugglers.

But are they back? Manly cricketers Taylor Beatty and Mickey Edwards helped push their popularity in 2018.

Mike, meanwhile, has shown himself to be on the ball, quite literally. Because whatever your opinion of the divisive swimmers, there’s no escaping – and believe me, I’ve tried – they’re definitely back in fashion. (Tony Abbott and ScoMo are rinsing their goggles in readiness).

Speedos have been threatening a style renaissance for some time, but now, alongside other style “highlights” of the past, including cycling shorts and sports socks with slides, Gen Z have had a rummage in the fashion bin and resurrected budgie smugglers, dick-stickers, sluggos, banana hammocks, or whatever term you prefer.

“Leave-them-in-the-shop,” is the phrase of my choice, but that’s just me.