ONE calls herself the female boss, the other is a kick ass reality TV veteran with a 3.9 million social media following.
Now that they’re holed up in the I’m a Celebrity jungle together, the real drama is beginning to unfold, as power play experts say that Tulisa Contoslavos and Maura Higgins,34 are locked in a head to head battle for prominence.
Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has made the transition from screamer to survivor and now gaming experts at Paddy Power suggest that a gap has emerged for an attention grabbing screamer, with Tulisa and Maura both vying to fill the void.
The source from Paddy Power said: “Dean now seems to have performed his epiphany and stepped down from his screaming role. In the bus he was suddenly smiling as though enjoying all the critters that had caused his melt-down earlier in the show.
That ‘screamer’ gap in the market is now being filled by two of the camp’s strongest women, Maura and Tulisa, but these replacement rituals look very much like a head-to-head battle for power.
Initially Maura’s non-verbal display of pre-task fears looked so much like the bad acting she performed in the junk yard camp, where she had to pretend to be weak and vulnerable, that the hint was that she was about to try to con the fans by acting fearful before smashing her task like the true warrior she is.”
And the source added that Tulisa has emerged as the most competitive camp mate, realising that Maura could be the real threat to her position in the popularity stakes.
“Tulisa has shown herself to be one of the most competitive camp mates and her behaviour in the bus suggests she sees Maura as her strongest threat in terms of winning the show. Left with only Maura, Barry and Tulisa in the back row, the task became a competitive-looking scream-off between Maura and Tulisa.
The source added that viewers will need to vote for the pair to perform a task together so that the women can show their true mettle.
“The viewers need to get these two women competing in a proper task together to show their true colours though as both will gain more fans by showing off their gutsy side rather than acting weak and vulnerable to get airtime.”
Earlier this week The Fright Bus challenge was handed to the celebs just as they’d finished eating around the campfire.
In a series first, this Bushtucker Trial ended on a clifffhanger, as Ant and Dec revealed that the rest would be shown on Tuesday night.
Maura put on a terrified performance with her hands over her mouth in fear as Danny Jones shouted: There’s a spider in here as well.”
She then turned to Barry McGuigan and says “If I have a spider on me I’m going to die,” as the camera pans to Oti Mabuse and GK Barry screaming madly.
Maura was also seen shaking in fright at the end of the Tunnel challenge partnered with Sun Columnist Jane Moore.
Meanwhile tonight Tulisa will be seen in her first major solo challenge as she stars in the tense bug infested Bushtucker challenge- Shock Around the Clock.
The former X Factor judge is is tasked with answering general knowledge questions while strapped into a cage on a moving clock dial.
But she will not be alone, for dozens of creepy crawlies will gradually will be fed into the cage, covering her body all over.
i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year..
Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.
Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.
Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities.
Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.
GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.
Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.
Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom Fletcher.
Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.
Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”
Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.
Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity, and he’s ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.”
