I’m a Celebrity star Shaun Ryder says he ‘nearly killed’ Gillian McKeith

The two stars have been reunited in the South Africa spinoff a decade after their falling out on the flagship show

The first night of I’m a Celebrity… South Africa saw Shaun Ryder’s nemesis Gillian McKeith arrive at camp inside a literal box.

On Monday night (24 April), the spinoff series kicked off with a group of former campmates jetting off to South Africa to face the jungle again. You can follow The Independent’s live blog here.

The episode ended with the surprise arrival of TV personality McKeith, who joined the nine campmates already there – including Happy Mondays star Ryder.

The pair originally starred on I’m a Celebrity together in 2010, when they clashed on multiple occasions. Read about the rows they had over insults, smoking, swearing and manners here.

In a preview of tonight’s show, ITV revealed that Ryder is not happy with McKeith’s arrival.

“Gillian came out of a box,” he says in the Bush Telegraph. “I was very surprised. I probably could have done without it being Gillian, yeah.”

McKeith, meanwhile, adds: “How do I feel about Shaun Ryder being here? I said hello, he said hello, it was all very cordial. What can I say?”

In camp, fellow contestant Paul Burrell asks Ryder about his last experience of being in camp with her: “Is she as mad as a box of frogs?”

Ryder replies: “Yeah… I nearly killed her.”

Ryder and McKeith (ITV)

Back in the Bush Telegraph, Ryder says: “I’ve been trying to be nice to her. I’m a different person, whatever. I don’t think Gillian was pleased to see me.”

We’ll have to watch tonight’s episode, airing at 9pm on ITV, to find out what happens next.