I’M A Celebrity’s Dean McCullough is a new favourite to walk after a body language expert declared he could be “susceptible”.
Dean has been repeatedly chosen for the gruelling Bushtucker Trials, despite him failing to get more than four stars in any of them.
He’s also quit several of the trials midway through after panicking, earning cheeky swipes from hosts Ant and Dec.
Friday night’s show saw him finally earn eight stars when he was paired up with McFly’s Danny Jones, but even then it was noted he only bagged two himself, and lost them two after he freaked out over creepy crawlies.
Nicole Greenfield-Smith, in collaboration with Mecca Games, has since teased that his inability to get over his fears and come through for the camp meals could be his downfall, prompting him to leave early.
“I thought [Wednesday’s] trial was interesting and if Dean flunks many more trials, it could leave him susceptible to walking,” she said.
Branding his attempt to do a trial with GK Barry “a disastrous combo”, she added: “We all have ‘mirror neurons’ which enable us to connect and empathise with others. This means we are highly sensitive to the mood, tone of voice and body language of those around us.
“So, if we hear someone screaming and panicking it intensifies our own fear, which is exactly what happened with the hapless duo and why they left the trial with zero stars.”
“The challenge moving forward is that hunger, the rain, and tiredness will serve to escalate the emotional responses of the campmates and reduce their tolerance significantly,” she added.
“If Dean continues to be selected for trials and lets his fear dominate, it’s likely that some of the other campmates will lose patience with him for not delivering the goods.
“Our brains are wired for social connection and cooperation. Disappointing others can trigger feelings of rejection, shame, or guilt, which may well tip Dean over the edge.”
On Friday’s show, after his trial with Danny, Dean was offered some consolation when he was picked by Maura Higgins and Richard Coles to join them in the jungle junkyard.
Unbeknownst to the main camp, the Jungle Junkyard is actually a luxury camp including hot water, food and beds – allowing him to spend the night in the lap of luxury.
But a visit from Coleen Rooney soon sparked trouble, with her rumbling the secret within minutes as she figured out something didn’t quite add up.
Tonight, they get the chance to confront them on the subterfuge, but will they own up?
I’m A Celebrity continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1.
