In a shock double elimination, both Tina Provis and Sigrid Thornton were the latest to be voted off I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here (I’m A Celeb).
The two achieved a lot during their time on I’m A Celeb — for instance, Tina completed the “Block-Bug-Ster Video” eating trial and Sigrid set a new record for the longest time spent in the Viper Room.
She spent an impressive 33 minutes surrounded by 170 snakes!
The Weekly was lucky enough to catch up with Sigrid just after her elimination and talk all about her experience…
The Weekly: What was the best thing you experienced in the jungle?
Sigrid: The best thing, I can’t name a best thing!
Okay, I’m just going to pick one. The best thing was finishing two incredibly challenging trials.
One was the Viper Room, and the other one was the bridge; that bridge was kind of [like] hell on wheels, but coming out the other side was pure elation.
The fact that I got through it in a way that I didn’t expect was a really exciting experience. It really was.
You know, you’re forced to challenge yourself way beyond what you would understand to be your limits. And I found that really fascinating and very exciting, actually.
Speaking of the Viper Room, first of all, congrats on breaking the record for the longest time spent in there, and secondly, how did you get through that?
Well, I really didn’t have a plan.
But I’m claustrophobic, and I explained that in quite graphic detail to the producers, so of course the first thing — almost straight off the plane, almost straight in the jungle — I was straight in that pit with all those snakes.
So, I really didn’t have time to form a plan.
But, for some strange reason, I managed to kind of trick my mind and turn my own fear into a reassurance of those beautiful animals themselves, those snakes.
And I just got through it by reassuring them that I was not there to hurt them. That I was their friend, and that they were very beautiful.
And that somehow enabled me to stay calm, and I really had no sense that I was going to do that or handle it in that way, but that’s what came out of my mouth, and because it started to calm me, I just kept doing it.
I did that for whatever it was, 33 minutes or something like that.
What was the hardest challenge to get through?
It’s hard to pinpoint; like, there were trials which were intense for short periods.
But probably the hardest challenge was the roller coaster ride of the whole shebang, which is very hard to explain the intensity of it to someone who hasn’t had the experience.
Essentially, you’re in a goldfish bowl with a group of relative strangers or, to me, complete strangers. The only person who wasn’t a complete stranger was Dave [‘Hughesy’ Hughes].
But you are thrown together and thrown back on your own resources, with no creature comforts.
And even though that seems like it’s quite doable — and it is doable — the kind of visceral, kind of weirdness, of the combination of those challenges [is hard].
The heat, the sleep deprivation, the food deprivation, the uncertainty, and the lack of control; are all in themselves challenging. But a combination of those is really; it can be very unnerving… It’s just a really hard thing to describe to someone else.
And I must say, it’s been great to come out with Tina because you can’t fully debrief while you’re in the jungle because everything’s being observed and you are so inside it that your objectivity is compromised.
So, it’s not until you come outside of it that you are able to, you know, gain some objectivity. It’s weird, that’s all I can say. It’s just bloody weird.
Who do you hope will win I’m A Celeb this year?
It’s so hard; there are so many people I’m really fond of who are still inside.
I’m sure that there are some really strong contenders for the audience.
Obviously, Geraldine [Hickey] and Reggie [Bird], I’m rooting for them; they’re the only women left in the jungle. So I’m really rooting for them, and I’m also — oh there were so many lovely people.
I got on so beautifully with Dave. He was so impressive in the jungle, and he was very supportive of me, so I really do want to kind of dip my lid to Dave.
I also have to say that Sam [Thaiday] has been a gentle giant amongst us; I think he’s a really strong contender.
And I adore Max [Balegde], who is just a complete sweetheart. Charming, highly intelligent, witty, open, honest, and quite raw and exposed in a way that one wouldn’t expect for someone who’s been living this public life in his own way for a while.
I had no idea who Max was, which didn’t matter to me, but now I can’t wait to find out. Max has millions of people following his every move, and I just can’t wait to be one of them.
It was a very familial bunch. We got on extremely well. I think we all felt a great sense of warmth and camaraderie, and I think we’ll all support whoever comes out of it a winner.
And to be honest with you, and I said this to the whole group the other day, I think we were all kings and queens in there. It’s almost a pity that only one person comes out on top because I think we all surprised ourselves in that way.
What’s the first thing you’ll do when you get home?
Oh my God, just great, huge hugs and cuddles and gratitude to see my family.
One of the things that this is a reminder of, is how fortunate every single person in the camp is to be going home to people who love them. Not everybody has the opportunity to come home to someone who loves them.
And I think we are all winners in that way; I just feel blessed that I’ll be able to come home to a loving home and cuddle my dog.
To just go for a walk with my dog, have a swim in the sea; do very mundane things. They will seem just more heightened in a beautiful way, and that’ll be just gorgeous.
I love the reset that this has given me already, you know. And I do think that [I’m A Celeb] has given us all a greater sense of gratitude for the things that we have in our lives.
The finale of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here airs on Channel 10 and 10Play on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
