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When Vogue Williams touched down in Australia this month it seemed she had nothing to lose.
The Irish presenter, 40, is known for her bubbly personality and charm, yet arguably isn’t as big a name as her Made In Chelsea star husband Spencer Matthews, 37.
So when Vogue signed up for I’m A Celebrity, the public were keen to see how she’d get on, with bookmakers giving her decent odds to be crowned Queen Of The Jungle before she’d even set foot in camp.
There was also talk that her show appearance could finally lift the dark I’m A Celeb cloud hanging over the Matthews household – with Vogue’s stint coming 10 years after Spencer was booted off the show for steroid use.
However, within days of entering the camp as a late arrival, Vogue’s popularity had panned, with Ladbrokes suddenly making her the least favourite to win, with odds of 200/1.
And on Monday evening, Vogue’s Jungle journey officially came to an end as she became the third campmate to be voted out of camp, following on from Alex Scott and Eddie Kadi.
Viewers took to X/Twitter to share their delight that she was going – although it was noted that the results may have been different for the Dublin native if the vote was open in Ireland.
It was Vogue’s clunky comments and fallouts with her fellow campmates that seemed to land her out of public favour, however, PR guru and top showbiz agent Jonathan Shalit told Daily Mail that all isn’t lost for the presenter.
‘Vogue Williams is a hugely talented broadcaster with a natural charm that audiences instinctively warm to,’ Jonathan revealed.
‘The jungle is one of the toughest environments in television. People are exhausted, hungry, and emotional. It is very easy for one or two comments to land differently than intended.
‘But none of that takes away from the fact she handled herself with honesty, humour, and heart.
‘What viewers also saw is the strength of her partnership with Spencer. He has been her biggest supporter throughout, and together they’re one of the most compelling and relatable couples on British TV.
‘A short run in the jungle doesn’t dent Vogue’s trajectory at all. If anything, it reminds people why she’s so engaging: she’s real.
‘With the profile boost from I’m A Celeb and the continued success of her projects with Spencer, she will come out of this even stronger.’
Public opinion towards Vogue first seemed to turn when former model Vogue claimed she felt ‘so ugly’.
Viewers accused her of fishing for compliments when she turned to Ruby Wax and Lisa Riley in a heart to heart and claimed she felt insecure about her looks because everyone in camp was ‘so good looking’.
Ruby went on to tell her: ‘You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen in my life.’
Vogue also ruffled feathers in camp when she clashed with AngryGinge – who is currently favourite to win the show – about the washing up.
During Monday’s show AngryGinge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, was seen suggesting that the campmates reduce the amount of crockery used at meal times to help make the washing up easier.
Vogue was first to hit back, saying: ‘People have the right to have a clean bowl in the morning and a clean whatever they want in the afternoon and a clean one in the evening.’
Kelly Brook then chimed in to explain that she wanted to keep eating out of the cups in the morning because it made it feel ‘more like breakfast’ and added variety to their meals.
But AngryGinge was having none of it, hitting out again: ‘So we’re double the washing up because it feels a bit more like breakfast?’
Doubling down in her exit interview, Vogue stood by her criticisms, telling Ant and Dec: ‘Ginge and Aitch are a bit resistant to their chores. I don’t really understand the whole cup-gate. I just turned into what I’m like at home.’
Last week, viewers were left furious when Vogue avoided the first vote off after taking on Kelly Brook in a drinking challenge.
She was tasked with downing a blended drink of fish eyes and fermented fish, while Kelly opted for a concoction of pig vagina and bull penis.
While she was first to clear her glass, viewers noted that she spilt a lot of the contents, before promptly throwing it straight back up, and claimed that Kelly should have been declared the winner instead.
She did, however, redeem herself on the challenge front when she took on the Wrecking Balls of Rage, which saw her fight her way through a slime covered obstacle course, to win all the stars on offer.
Speaking on behalf of Online Slots provider Spin Genie, Celebrity PR Specialist Kayley Cornelius, revealed that the furore around the challenge didn’t help her chances.
Kayley explained: ‘That split in perception created a bit of tension early on, and alongside a few of her comments to Ginge and her other fellow campmates, she may have come across as a little self-indulgent or unwilling to compromise, which in a camp full of strong personalities, can make someone look less of a team player.
‘At times, she didn’t seem keen to meet others halfway, and in a camp with big characters and clear favourites, it often comes down to the little things that influence who stays and who goes.
‘On shows like this, a bit of humbleness and a willingness to really get stuck in tends to go a long way with viewers, and without that, moments of self-indulgence can stand out even more.
‘Ginge and Aitch have very vocal, loyal and impressionable fanbases who are protective of them and will often vote against anyone they feel has wronged their favourites.
‘That kind of support can make all the difference in a public vote, and unfortunately for Vogue, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or clashing with the wrong crowd, may have counted against her.
‘It also probably didn’t help that voting wasn’t open in Ireland, meaning some of her most loyal fans back home didn’t get the chance to have their say, which could have potentially made a difference.’
Yet Kayley mused that the TV stint was ‘not career ending’, explaining: ‘The arguments and little dramas were very minor, and aren’t likely to follow her once the show is over.
‘Right now, the heat is only on her because the show is still on air and everyone’s watching, but this backlash is likely to only be temporary.
‘Once the campmates are back in normal conditions, have had a proper night’s sleep, a hot shower and some good food, viewers will then be able to see there’s no real bad blood, and opinions will soften.
‘The exposure from the show will still work in her favour. Vogue is already a well-known name with a strong media presence, and history shows that many former campmates come out of the jungle even stronger.
‘As long as she takes her eviction on the chin, keeps her head down and holds no grudges, she’ll very likely bounce back quickly and win the public over again.’
Eyebrows were also raised when it emerged that Spencer wouldn’t be flying to Australia to greet Vogue after her Jungle stint.
The couple have been married since 2018 and they share three children together – Theodore, six, Gigi, four, and Otto, two.
Daily Mail revealed that Spencer isn’t joining Vogue Down Under because he is on a mission to complete seven full Ironman triathlons on seven continents in just 21 days.
Instead, it was Vogue’s manager and pal Louisa McDonald that jetted to Australia.
A source revealed that the timing is ‘unfortunate’ but unavoidable, with the pair’s busy schedules clashing and neither commitment able to be moved.
They explained: ‘The timing isn’t ideal at all, but sometimes these things happen, and Vogue and Spencer’s diaries just clash.
‘Of course, Spencer would want nothing more than to support Vogue in Australia and be there waiting for her when she leaves the jungle but both committed to their own projects, and unfortunately, the schedules overlap.
‘There’s a small chance Spencer could finish his triathlon challenge ahead of schedule, but it’s unlikely he would then fly to Australia.
‘They’ll both be missing their children, who will stay in London, continue attending school, and no doubt support their parents from afar – catching Vogue on TV whenever they can.’
After Vogue was booted out of camp, Spencer took to social media to praise his ‘courageous’ and ‘fearless’ wife and said he could not wait to be reunited with her and their kids.
He penned: ‘Disappointed to hear that my gorgeous Vogue is out of I’m A Celeb but I’m so proud of the brave stint she did in there.
‘She showed heart, courage and fearlessness in challenges and, as always, was such a positive and pragmatic figure in camp!’
‘I would have loved nothing more than to have been there for her when she came out and am sending so much love from Antarctica.
‘On the positive side, we can now all FaceTime – I know she will have missed the kids like mad and I can’t wait to hear her voice and for us to all be reunited next week.’
It would have been interesting to see Spencer back at the famous campsite 10 years after he was axed from I’m A Celebrity.
He was removed from the ITV show after just three days in 2015 over anabolic steroid use, a move that left him ‘deeply embarrassed’.
Speaking to The Mirror after his departure, Spencer confessed: ‘Why did I leave I’m A Celebrity after just three days? The simple answer is that I screwed up, and have some explaining to do.
‘Shortly after I arrived in Australia I told the production team that I was taking a steroid-based medication that had begun some weeks ago.
‘When I started taking this programme of pills it was in preparation for a charity boxing match which, ironically, never took place.’
Revealing the reason behind his drug-taking, he said in an interview with Loose Women in 2016: ‘Vanity, I suppose, had been the reason for wanting to bulk up a bit for the fight.
‘I had intended to come off the pills gradually, but there was no time to do this before I reached the jungle.’
He added that the show producers ‘did what they had to’ according to the law, as the possession and use of steroids is illegal in Australia.
‘ITV did what they had to do and I ended up on a plane,’ he said of his three-day stint. ‘I felt deeply embarrassed.’
When probed over steroids being illegal Down Under, Spencer claimed he was unaware of the laws, adding: ‘I was not aware of that.’
The TV personality has regularly declared he would love to give the show a ‘second crack’ after coming off the medication.
However, it is not clear if another offer ever materialised.
Since being axed from I’m A Celebrity, Spencer has turned his life around. The former party boy quit drinking in 2018 and is now known for taking on mammoth fitness challenges around the world.
