He’s met a host of celebrities during his career as a radio and TV presenter.
And Vernon Kay, 44, revealed that his favourite was Tom Hanks, 64, as he spoke to Giovanna Fletcher on Wednesday’s episode of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.
Vernon reminisced about meeting the movie star twice, gushing that Tom signed a Forrest Gump DVD for him and even remembered him at their second encounter years later, calling him a ‘good guy’.
Biggest fan: Vernon Kay reminisced about meeting his favourite celebrity Tom Hanks on Wednesday’s episode of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Chatting about his presenting career, Vernon explained the first meeting was when he worked on T4 and Tom was promoting 2004 film The Polar Express.
Vernon said: ‘He was amazing. He was just the nicest fella.
‘I interviewed him for The Polar Express but he was so nice and at the end I said I know this is really unprofessional, is there any chance you can sign this DVD cover of Forrest Gump for me.
‘And he’s like “no problem”. So he signed it to Vernon, good luck with the new gig, Tom Hanks.’
‘The nicest fella’: The presenter, 44, said that the movie star, 64, even recognised him when they met for a second time at a press event, calling him a ‘good guy’, years after their first encounter (Tom is pictured in 2016)
Vernon then went on to explain that he met the Hollywood star again on a press trip on Eurostar for The Da Vinci Code, which was released in 2006
The I’m A Celeb contestant said: ‘I’ll never forget it, I can see it now, Tom Hanks saw me and he just turned to Ron Howard [the film’s director] and he went “oh this is Vern, he’s alright he is”.
‘I’m like, he remembered my name. And he just turned around and said “Vern, oh he’s a good guy!”‘
Elsewhere on Wednesday’s episode of I’m A Celeb, newcomers Ruthie Henshall and Russell Watson were thrown in at the deep end as they made their debut.
What a guy: Vernon said Tom signed a Forrest Gump DVD cover for him when they first met while the star was doing promo for his 2004 film The Polar Express (pictured in Forrest Gump)
What a keepsake: Tom signed the DVD, writing ‘To Vernon, good luck with the new gig, Tom Hanks’ (pictured with his wife Rita Wilson while promoting The Polar Express in the US in 2004)
Second meet: The presenter also met the actor during a press event for film The Da Vinci Code, which was released in 2006 (Vernon is pictured at another event the same year)
The opera singer and musical theatre star are the two new campmates for the 2020 series and they met their co-stars for the first time during a dreaded Bushtucker Trial.
In a teaser clip ahead of the show, the duo were dressed as court jesters for the Stage Fright trial and were covered in rotten food as they try to win food for camp.
Ruthie and Russell, both 53, were seen being watched by their fellow campmates, with hosts Ant and Dec asking trial veteran Jordan North if he has any words of advice for the new recruits.
What a story! Vernon revealed his favourite celebrity while talking to campmate Giovanna Fletcher (pictured)
Here we go! Ruthie Henshall and Russell Watson are thrown in at the deep end as they make their debut on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here on Wednesday night
‘Try not to overthink it and just go to your happy place,’ the Radio 1 DJ tells them, prompting laughter from the hosts.
The aim of the game is to complete the punchline to castle-themed jokes, with Ruthie locked in the stocks and being pelted with all manner of nasties as she reads the first half of the pun to her campmates.
First up is rotten tomatoes which cover the stage star. Russell is then tasked with bobbing for the punchline in barrels of slime.
Ruthie and Russell’s dramatic initiation will be shown in full on Wednesday night’s episode, after their arrival was teased at the end of Tuesday’s show.
Playing the fool: The duo are dressed as court jesters for the Stage Fright trial, and in a sneak peek clip, are covered in rotten food as they try to win food for camp