I’m A Celebrity 2020: Giovanna Fletcher named Queen of Castle

Giovanna Fletcher was named Queen of the Castle during I’m A Celebrity’s live finale on Friday.

The author, 35, went up against Vernon Kay and Jordan North to win the title, and was left in complete shock after it was revealed she’d come out on top after 12 million votes had been cast.

Gushing about her win, she sat on a plush throne and said: ‘I cant believe it, people have picked up their phones and voted. I’m just blown away I cant believe it its been the most amazing experience, ask me in a week!’

Ever gracious in defeat, Jordan said it was: ‘Absolutely fantastic, I couldn’t be runner up to anyone better,the most genuine kindest person I’ve ever met.

Vernon stepped up to crown Giovanna, saying it was his honour to name her the first ever Queen of the Castle. 

After it was revealed he had come in third, Vernon hugged his competitors and said: ‘Well done you two, I’ve had the best time, you’ve been awesome.’ 

Before being announced the winner, Giovanna and Jordan chatted to co-presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, and Giovanna said: ‘Honestly I’ve laughed so so much, its been more than I ever thought it would be.’  

The presenters commented on how she was the mother of the camp, and she said ‘having three kids I am very maternal’, before adding: ‘I always thought being the mumsy one is a negative but its not.’ 

Giovanna also commented on how she helped to cook in the camp throughout her time on the show, admitting that being hungry all the time would sometimes fray their nerves.

She explained: ‘Everyone is looking and watching and they’re hungry, strange things come to camp that we have to cook, one night when it was particularly all eyes on it but once everyone knew to back off, we’re doing what we can, then they were fine.’

Talking to Ant and Dec about coming third place, Vernon said he was ‘over the moon’ to get so far in the show, as he praised the ‘awesome camp’. 

He admitted he was surprised to get so far, as he said there was ‘some really strong characters in there’, he added: ‘Last night was a real shock with Shane, it was a real shock because he propped up moral in the camp, blowing a trumpet out of his backside… we’ve had a lot of dips collectively, to be lifted by him has been brilliant.’

Gushing about the show, he went on: ‘It was everything and more it really was everything and more and I think if anyone gets asked to do it in the future don’t even hesitate.

‘There’s something about being in a confined space with eleven strangers you have to naturally be yourself, if you try to be something you’re not you cant keep it up you cant. The best thing about this camp is everyone was themselves.’

Vernon said he did think he made his daughters proud by getting third, as he went on: ‘Third place for me is more than my expectations… it’s been phenomenal I think I’m going to take stuff out of that camp, I really am.’

When asked to pick who he’d choose to win, Vernon was hesitant as he felt Giovanna has been ‘there for everyone’ during the show, but eventually picked Jordan for his ‘journey’.     

During his interview, Jordan said of his time on the show: ‘Stupidly I thought I could get away with doing trials and at best come out midway, and then I spewed on a cliff… I thought any thing with snakes, heights, or tight spaces I couldn’t do but I did!’

After Shane Richie’s departure on Thursday, the trio were in shock as they said goodbye to the EastEnders star, with Giovanna saying ‘humour and stories has kept many of us going’ while Jordan claimed Shane was his pick to win the show.

Vernon said he was in ‘complete and utter shock’ with the result, and added: ‘He’s been a top bloke. It means the world for me that I’m in the final. I’m flabbergasted.

Growing teary-eyed, he told his wife Tess Daly and their daughters Phoebe and Amber: ‘Tess I love you baby, forever and ever, and girls I hope I made you proud.’

Reflecting on being in the final, Giovanna joked that if she won the show she’d ‘just have everyone call me Queen from now on.’

Vernon was given a terrifying task for his final trial, as he took part in the Table of Torment which saw him get strapped down and covered in a variety of critters as well as rotten fruit and vegetables. 

The endurance test saw Vernon play for the starters of their final dinner, with the first three stars for the meal, a fourth for a drink, and a fifth for a treat of his choice.

Vernon was shackled to the table for a total of ten minutes, and every two minutes he endured while covered in the bugs and other detritus earned him one star. 

Shocked by the horrendous smell of the rotten fruit and vegetables, Vernon told Dec and Ant McPartlin: ‘Oh my god that’s disgusting, that stinks.’ 

Despite the uncomfortable feeling, and biting critters, Vernon endured the full 10 minutes by singing to himself and thus earned all the stars as he claimed: ‘That is the most horrific thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.’ 

Giovanna ate a Bull’s penis as Vernon was covered in bugs while strapped to a table for their last trials during the show’s finale, which saw each of the stars take part in one last gruelling task.

The author competed in the Frightening Feast trial so that she could try and win stars that would provide the main meals for her, Vernon, and Jordan’s final dinner together in the camp.

During her gruelling challenge, Giovanna was tasked with also eating a fermented duck egg, a cow’s nose, raw fish eye, sheep’s testicle. 

In an amusing moment, Giovanna powered through the trial and ate everything quickly as she commented that she hadn’t ‘gagged yet’ despite eating the duck’s egg and cow’s nose with ease. 

She then had the testicle served up on a silver platter, and she claimed it was ‘disappointing on the lamb front’ as Ant asked if it tasted ‘testically’.

Giovanna quipped back: ‘Of the testicles I’ve had in my mouth?’, and Dec told any kids who were watching from home that it was time for bed now. 

The first three stars were for the main meals while the fourth would account for a drink, while the fifth and final star counted towards a treat of Giovanna’s choice.

Giovanna had to eat the fermented duck egg first, which co-host Declan Donnelly joked: ‘I’ve done this, I’m so sorry, it’s quite bad.’

Despite the edible horrors in front of her, Giovanna took her time with them, including 17 minutes to eat the testicle, but she managed to successfully complete the trial and win all of the stars.

It was Jordan’s job to earn the desserts for their final meal, and to do so he took the Iron Maiden on for his final trial in the camp.

The radio presenter was locked inside a cage for ten minutes as snakes were lowered in with him, and every two minutes he endured meant he would win a star – the first three for their meals, while the other two could be used for a drink and treat.

While he was in the cage with the slithering creatures, Jordan cried out: ‘Oh god, it’s a snake. Happy place. Happy place! I’m going to be drinking gin with Bev in Spain.’

Jordan tried to keep his mind occupied while he completed the trial, and although he was shaking while the snakes slid over him he engaged Ant and Dec in conversation, even asking them to sign his books if he managed to complete the task. 

Despite his fears, Jordan managed to successfully complete the trial, which meant their final dinner was a veritable feast. 

After their arduous tasks, Giovanna, Jordan and Vernon all sat down for one last meal together which consisted of their favourite foods after winning all of the stars.

Giovanna was delighted as she tucked into bruschetta, fish and chips, apple crumble with custard, red wine and chocolate for her starter, main meal, and dessert.

While Vernon enjoyed a feast of a prawn cocktail, chicken and sweet potato mash, treacle sponge, a cup of tea and sourdough bread with marmite and cottage cheese.

Jordan was delighted with his meal of a prawn cocktail, corned beef hash, and angel delight for his starter, main and dessert, while he also enjoyed a Guinness and peanut butter cups. 

Ahead of the show, co-hosts Ant and Dec shared an amusing snap alongside Kiosk Cledwyn, which they put together with ‘the magic of photoshop’ to ensure they remained a safe distance apart.

In the picture, the Geordie duo smiled brightly while looking at their stony-faced friend, who stared straight into the camera with his arms crossed.

Copying his signature stance, Ant laughed in delight while Dec couldn’t help but grin as they marked the final day of 2020’s edition of the show.

They wrote in the caption: ‘Thanks for the bants Kiosk Cledwyn. You had big shoes to fill and miserably fill them you did!* *The magic of photoshop meant we (luckily) didn’t have to stand two metres away from him.’