Josh Gibson’s shock eviction from jungle on I’m A Celebrity ... after being early favourite to win series

JOSH Gibson has made a shock exit from I’m A Celebrity, but it was his comments about a possible romance with fellow contestant Simone Holtznagel that stunned viewers.

JOSH Gibson has made a surprise early exit from the South African jungle camp on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!.

Despite being an early favourite to win the reality series, viewers opted to send the former AFL player home ahead of next week’s grand finale episode.

“I am not happy to be out but it has been a long time so I’m interested to know what is going on in the world,” the former Hawthorn AFL player said.

“I feel like I have been myself and I can walk out with my head held high and know I gave it my all and it was just me.”

Gibson’s departure leaves seven celebrities vying for the jungle crown, including Fiona O’Loughlin, Peter Rowsthorn, Jackie Gillies and Vicky Pattison.

They’ve lasted just over five weeks in the jungle camp living off basic food rations and competing in various challenges in the hope of securing $100,000 for their chosen charity.

Gibson’s exit shocked his fellow campmates.

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Josh Gibson was the favourite to win the series. Picture: Network Ten

“I did not see that coming, that really put a spanner in the works,” British reality star Pattison told campmates.

The series winner will be announced next Monday night.

During his time in the jungle, there was much speculation over a possible romance between Gibson and model Simone Holtznagel.

On elimination, he ruled out any chance of the pair getting together.

“We are like brother and sister,” he said. “There is going to be no zero to 100, there’s going to be no babies, no relationship. She is going to go back to LA, I’m going to move to Sydney and we will both be single.”

Simone Holtznagel and Josh Gibson. Picture: Ten

Love is not in the air, apparently. Picture: Ten

Also in the jungle, Gibson spoke about his battles with anxiety. He feels the more than five weeks in the camp will help him with anxiety going forward.

“There was definitely moments where I was pretty anxious and just needed to clear my head but in the long run this will be really good for me,” he said. “I was lucky that we had fantastic campmates in there that will become lifelong friends and help you when you are feeling flat.”

Before going into the jungle, Gibson joked with News Corp about being “washed up” after retiring from professional football.

“I am washed up, done. I am old news … forgotten about,” he said.

More generally about the jungle, he said: “It is going to really test me and put me outside my comfort zone. People talk about sports men being tough but there is going to be plenty of things on 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 and one I am looking forward to.”

The things you do to win... Picture: Nigel Wright/Channel 10

Finally, Gibson picked either of comedians, Peter Rowsthorn and Fiona O’Loughlin, to win the series.

“It would be great for both of them,” he said. “Fiona has been through so much and she has been really open about it. She is so funny. And Pete is the cornerstone of camp. I would love one of them to win.”

They’ve lasted just over five weeks in the jungle camp living off basic food rations and competing in various challenges in the hope of securing $100,000 for their chosen charity.

Gibson’s exit shocked his fellow camp mates.

“I did not see that coming, that really put a spanner in the works,” British reality star Pattison told camp mates.

The series winner will be announced next Monday night.

* The journalist is in South Africa as a guest of Channel Ten.

Originally published as Josh Gibson’s shock eviction from jungle on I’m A Celebrity ... after being early favourite to win series