I’m A Celebrity’s Jordan North says he was ‘last-minute’ replacement and once fled the show’s set

I’M A Celebrity’s Jordan North has revealed he was never supposed to be on the show – and was brought it as a last-minute replacement when another star dropped out.

Speaking to pal Greg James on Radio 1 today the 30-year-old runner-up said: “I was last minute. I got a call to say: ‘Maybe next year not this year.’

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I’m A Celebrity star Jordan North opened up on Radio 1 today[/caption]

“Then I got a call two weeks later saying: ‘Do you wanna do it? Someone’s dropped out.’

“Then I had two days to do everything: medical, photos, psychiatrists et cetera. Forty-eight hours. It very nearly never happened.”

He also explained that Dec Donnelly, 45, coached him through his horrifying Viper Vault trial, where he had to be shut in a box full of snakes.

Jordan says he even fled off the set, saying: “So I’m in this coffin full of snakes and I’m screaming: ‘Happy place Turf Moor.’

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The star revealed it took him an hour before he did his Viper Vault task[/caption]

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He explained that he was so terrified he even fled the set at one point[/caption]

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Jordan finished in second just behind Giovanna and ahead of Vernon[/caption]

“I don’t know if you know but it took me an hour to get in. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for Dec. I went off set.”

He also explained he spent much of his time in the castle in a panic, joking that he feared he might not have a job when he emerged.

Jordan said: “Am I gonna have a career at the end of this? It was the best but the toughest three weeks of my life.

‘We were freezing, we were starving. I thought the hunger would get better but it got worse. You’re just waiting around.

“In the jungle you could sunbathe but you can’t in Wales. We were so bored.”