And now, as the latest group of unwitting celebrities settles into jungle life for series 24, the JLS singer – who finished fifth on last year’s show – has some words of advice.
“It’s really boring and it’s practical advice, but they’ve got to make the food stretch,” he says. “I can’t tell you how much we take for granted things like salt and pepper and sugar and seasoning. The food is so, so bland. We would get a camel’s foot to eat and we would keep the skin just to flavour the rice!”
As well as I’m A Celebrity, Marvin, wife Rochelle, 35, and their three children Alaia-Mai, 11, Valentina, seven, and Blake, four, have been tuning into this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, to cheer on Marvin’s bandmate JB Gill.
Here, we chat to Marvin about his own I’m A Celeb experience, his bromance with Sam Thompson and who he’s backing for jungle glory…
Hi Marvin! We can’t believe you were in the jungle a whole year ago. What do you think of this year’s line-up?
It’s going to be another incredible year. There are some great characters and big personalities. I’m close with Melvin [Odoom]. He’s a friend of ours – he worked with Rochelle on The Xtra Factor back in the day and I’ve known him through working in radio, but we are genuinely friends. I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago and he wanted to pick my brains. But I also told him it would be the greatest experience in his life.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1732598464/articles/TJxnNyBL_1732603059890/9256922362.jpg]
Are you backing Melvin?
Yes! I’ve spent time with Danny Jones over the years, and Tulisa, and I’ve met GK Barry, but I’ve got to back my boy.
How was your experience?
What you see is what you get. There can be lots of sitting around in not comfortable places, like a wooden log, and obviously the food situation is tough. There were rats running around in the Bush Telegraph. There are obviously cameras everywhere, but it is a real jungle. But listen, on the flip side, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I wouldn’t ever have skydived, I wouldn’t ever have had snakes around my neck, eaten fish eyes and drunk the juice, and I would never have been in a tub of gravy with Nigel Farage singing Christmas carols. Not many people can say they have done that!
Are you still friends with any of your campmates?
I’m really, really close to Sam. He’s in Australia now doing the spin-off show, but I usually see him every day as we work at the same radio station. He comes into my studio for a little session in the morning to have 20 minutes together and a man chat. He’s a great guy. I speak to Tony Bellew and Danielle Harold, and I’ve seen Fred Sirieix out and about.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1732598464/articles/TJxnNyBL_1732603059890/9933621699.jpg]
We have to ask you about Strictly, which your bandmate JB is taking part in…
He’s absolutely smashing it. It’s such a tough show in a differe...