I'm a Celebrity Day 21: Joe crowned as winner (From Lancashire Telegraph)

I'm a Celebrity Day 21: Joe crowned as winner

2:47pm Tuesday 9th December 2008 in TV

Joe Swash has been crowned king of the jungle.

The former EastEnders star beat tennis legend Martina Navratilova and ex-Star Trek actor George Takei to be named the winner of this year’s I’m A Celebrity… last night.

Upon being told he had won the public vote by presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Joe said: “It has been an amazing few weeks.

"There have been ups and downs but it's finished on a really lovely high, it was a lovely experience.

"I’m definitely coming out a much more mature man than when I went in.”

The actor admitted his worst moment on the show was when he went head-to-head with glamour girl Nicola McLean in the I Scream Van Bushtucker Trial and had to eat a variety of disgusting foods, including crocodile.

He said: “The worst thing was the eating. I got that quite early on and it was a nightmare.”

Joe – who spent 21 days in the Australian jungle – also praised his best friend in camp George, who came third, and insisted he wasn’t embarrassed by their frequent embraces.

The one-time soap star revealed: “I love the man. If he was a bird I’d be all over him! I just felt I could kiss him, it just felt comfortable.”

Joe was greeted by his mum Kiffy – who earlier this week unwittingly confirmed her son is dating his former ‘EastEnders’ co-star Kara Tointon – as he left the jungle.”