He was widely tipped by bookmakers as the man most likely to lift the crown.
But in a dramatic and unexpected twist, rapper Aitch has become the ninth contestant to be voted out of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, sending shockwaves through the ITV reality show just one night before the final.
The 25-year-old, whose real name is Harrison Armstrong, had entered the jungle as one of the strongest contenders to win. His main motivation for taking part, he revealed, was to raise awareness for Down syndrome, a condition his sister Gracie lives with — and only hours before his exit, viewers watched as he shared an emotional reunion with both Gracie and sister Hattie.
However, despite the powerful scenes, the public vote was not enough to save him, and Aitch was axed during Friday night’s episode.
The Manchester-born star had long been seen as the biggest rival to his close friend Angry Ginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, in the race for King of the Jungle. But now, Ginge, 24, will face EastEnders actress Shona McGarty, 34, and Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson, 39, in tomorrow night’s final.
Before his shock exit, Aitch took on the Celebrity Cyclone, the show’s biggest and most demanding Bushtucker Trial, pushing himself to the limit in what unknowingly became his final challenge.
Later, fans were left in tears as Aitch was reunited with his sisters in deeply emotional scenes. Sitting down together, Gracie told her brother: “We’ve missed you so much!”
Speaking about the reunion in his exit interview with Ant and Dec, Aitch admitted: “It was unreal. I was gobsmacked. I honestly felt like they were fake at first — I had to touch them. I think it’s a mega experience for them too. In years to come they can look back and think, ‘I was there.’”
Reflecting on jungle life, he added: “It’s good to be in a world like that for a little minute — no distractions, no phone. The only thing on your mind is what’s in front of you. I think that’s a pretty good way to live life.”
Aitch was later seen being greeted by sister Hattie on the bridge as they shared an emotional hug during his departure.
He also broke his silence on the now-infamous ‘sweet-gate’ saga after Kelly Brook revealed the trio had secretly eaten part of their prize following a Deals on Wheels challenge. On Monday’s episode, Aitch, Kelly and Ginge won 19 milk-bottle sweets to take back to camp — but secretly ate one each before returning.
The secret remained hidden until Kelly’s jungle exit on Tuesday, when she told her unsuspecting campmates: “By the way, there were more than ten milk bottles.”
Addressing the revelation, Aitch joked: “I need a word with her. She tried to snitch and she didn’t even snitch good. If you’re gonna snitch, go all the way.”
Despite leaving the competition, Aitch showed no bitterness as he revealed who he hoped would take the crown. “I love Shona to death — she deserves it, same with Tom,” he said. “But that crown needs to come back to my hometown, so it’s Ginge.”
During his time in the jungle, fans had been convinced they detected a romantic spark between Aitch and Shona, making it one of the show’s key storylines. However, fellow contestants who have since left the camp dismissed those rumours, insisting the pair were not romantically interested in each other, despite Aitch admitting he had a “soft spot” for the actress.
Aitch appeared overjoyed as he left camp, later admitting he had a feeling he might be the one to go.
His appearance on this year’s I’m A Celebrity marked a key step in his move into the mainstream after spending the past seven years in the alternative rap scene. It was revealed this week that he is already in talks with fast fashion brand BoohooMAN over a £1million clothing deal.
Aitch first rose to fame in 2018 with his breakout rap hit Straight Rhymez, later going on to win a Brit Award for his music.
On tomorrow night’s episode, the public will finally discover who will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle for this year, following in the footsteps of McFly star Danny Jones and runner-up Coleen Rooney, who narrowly missed out on the title last year.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/