Dean Gaffney to ‘face terrifying trial’ as he arrives in I’m A Celeb camp shock
I’M A Celebrity’s next latecomer will land in the midst of a terrifying trial – in echoes of his first time in camp.
EastEnders legend Dean Gaffney looks set to join the South Africa show soon as one of the surprise arrivals.
He’ll be immediately tasked with a scary challenge instead of strolling into camp, just like how he entered back in 2006.
An insider said: “Dean’s visit to the Bush Spa is always mentioned in I’m A Celebrity’s most hilarious moments so producers wanted to recreate that magic.
“Back then he thought he was on his way into camp but instead walked straight into a live trial, packed with gunk and creepy crawlies and his hysterics had Ant and Dec in stitches.
“It was TV gold.”
An ITV spokesman said they did not comment on speculation over new campmates.
Also expected to arrive soon is fellow EastEnder Joe Swash, who played Mickey Miller on the soap for five years.
Joe was crowned King of the Jungle in 2008 and went on to become a primetime TV presenter and married Stacey Solomon – 2010’s jungle Queen.
Dean, who played Robbie Jackson on EastEnders, came fifth Down Under but his career trajectory hasn’t mirrored Joe’s.
Since leaving the Square in 2003, he appeared in panto and other reality TV shows then returned to the soap for two years in 2017.
But he was written out in 2019 amid concerns over his behaviour off-set.
In January, Dean revealed he had become a grandfather for the second time.
And The Sun reported in March how he has grown close with a stunning Russian blonde 19 years his junior.
He has been spending quality time with the woman who goes by the name Valerina, who at 25 is the same age as Dean’s twin daughters.
A pal said: “Dean and Valerina have been spending a lot of time together in Dubai over the past few days.
“She is absolutely gorgeous so it’s no surprise she has caught Dean’s eye. And he has an amazing way with women – they fall at his feet.
“Dean is insisting they’re just mates and that it is all just a bit of fun.”
Dean’s last serious relationship was with model Rebekah Rose-Ward, 28, who was 16-years his junior after they began dating shortly after he split from Sarah Burge, his childhood sweetheart and mother to his twin girls.