Matt Hancock’s former aide Gina Coladangelo and Zara Tindall were among the partners of the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! campmates who sent letters into the Australian jungle to help boost the contestants’ motivation.
As the ITV reality show reached the two-week mark on Sunday, the celebrities were offered the opportunity to win personal messages from their nearest and dearest.
In order to achieve the prize, the campmates were split into three groups and tasked with balancing 10 blocks on a beam within 60 minutes.
Those whose blocks were balanced at the end of that time would be awarded a letter from home.
Sue Cleaver, Boy George and Chris Moyles were up first but struggled initially, while Hancock, Mike Tindall, Seann Walsh and Babatunde Aleshe seemed to have more luck with the task but a lot of blocks still remained.
Jill Scott, Owen Warner and Scarlette Douglas were the last group up with 37 minutes left to complete the challenge.
After learning “small steps” were best, they completed the challenge in 14 minutes and returned to camp triumphant with all 10 letters.
Hancock received a letter from Coladangelo, who he was caught breaking coronavirus social distancing rules with last June when they were pictured having an affair in his ministerial office, which ultimately led to his resignation as health secretary.
Scott read out the letter which said: “Dear Matt, wow watching you in the jungle has been quite the experience.
“We are particularly impressed that you conquered your fear of snakes.
“We are less sure about the dancing.
“Although we saw that you almost got the electric slide thanks to Scarlette. Gina xxxxx”
Mike Tindall also received a message from his wife Zara, who is the daughter of Princess Anne, who he shares three children with.
It read: “Hi my love, we are missing you so much and really needing some papa hugs, but glad you’re sharing them with your campmates.
“The girls are enjoying sports and throwing themselves into everything at the moment and the little man is loving life, smashing it up, learning some new words. Z, M, L and L. x”
Elsewhere in the episode, former rugby player Tindall and Lioness Scott both put themselves forward for the Speak Uneasy Bushtucker Trial.
The pair were challenged to drink 10 concoctions in a bid to win stars for camp with Tindall facing blended cockroaches and blended vomit fruit among his selection.
After having blended pig’s penis, he said: “That is horrendous after. Hello, you repeat.”
Scott was tasked with drinking blended fish eyes and blended snails amongst her five drinks.
While drinking blended goat’s testicle, she said: “Agh it’s got hairs in it! Could have had a wax before. That was disgusting. That was horrendous.”
The former athletes were victorious and returned to camp having won all 10 stars.
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! continues on ITV1 and ITV Hub on Monday at 9.15pm.