CULTURE Club singer Boy George has dubbed himself the ‘Lion Queen’ as he touches down in Australia ahead of his appearance on I’m A Celeb.
The vegan pop icon, 61, who landed in Brisbane Airport wearing a novelty mask, refused to confirm whether he would eat any bugs during the ITV show’s infamous bushtucker trials.
Boy George lands in Brisbane, Australia ahead of his appearance on I’m a Celebrity
The pop star, who is vegan, is known for his flamboyant dress sense
Shortly after landing George told The Celeb Report: “I’m here to do a version of the Lion Queen.”
Asked if the mask will be staying on inside the camp, he said: “Let’s hope so.”
When pushed on whether he would eat any creepy crawlies in the jungle or if he was simply a “vegan lion”, he added: “I’m a Lion Queen, I have told you,” before insisting: “I love all creatures.”
The singer, who scored huge hits in the 1980s with Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, also confirmed he would be meditating on the show which will start with 10 celebrities.
Presenters Ant McPartlin, 46, and Declan Donnelly, 47, touched down this week as the show returns Down Under for the first time in two series following the Covid pandemic.
Speaking about Ant and Dec, George said: “I love them both.”
The 61-year-old is now heading to quarantine ahead of the show’s first episode on November 6.
ITV execs are delighted by the A-list signing and hope the eccentric star will be TV gold in the jungle.
George, whose full name is George Alan O’Dowd, smiled as handlers and security ushered him through the airport to a waiting vehicle.
A telly source said: “Boy George is a real coup for producers, there is a lot of excitement in-house at ITV.
“The singer is renowned for his dry wit and frank delivery, he is always outspoken and will be hilarious value in camp, hopefully regaling viewers with his showbiz stories about his famous friends.
“While George is well acquainted with Australia after living in Sydney for several years, he has no experience of the Outback, so will be like a fish out of water living rough.”
George, who became a highly successful club DJ following his pop career, joins the stars who have already arrived on the Gold Coast including radio DJ Chris Moyles, Love Island’s Olivia Attwood and the show’s first ever royal Mike Tindall.
It has been previously been reported that the committed vegan won’t be forced to eat insects on the gruelling programme and will be given meat-free alternatives at camp meals.
Earlier this year, George was a guest on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Take-away and told the duo the idea of eating meat put him off, saying: “Unless you do a vegan version and then I’m in.”
And speaking in 2016 the singer, who is renowned for wearing signature hats, revealed he turned down the survival series several times due to strict campmate uniform and lack of food.
He said: “There would be serious clothing restrictions in the jungle.
“I’d have to get certain hats made and I couldn’t get over the food. I would have a problem with that.”
He was close to starring on Celebrity Big Brother, but revealed last year he was talked out of it by his mother Dinah.
The singer wore a novelty mask after landing Down Under
George shot to fame in the 1980s with pop band Culture Club
We previously told how the stars have been given mental health MOTs to make sure they don’t crack under the pressure cooker atmosphere of the show.
This included divulging any previous mental health issues and admitting to any booze and substance abuse problems.
George has had well-publicised struggles with drugs in the past including with heroin and cocaine.
However, he has forged a successful television career in the last decade most notably as a judge on talent show The Voice both in the UK and Australia.
The campmates – including Corrie star Sue Cleaver and Loose Women star Charlene White – have all undergone strict processes.
They were checked to see if they could withstand the stress of being sleep-deprived, the pressure of the team trials and being apart from their loved ones.
Celebs were asked about their fears, phobias and anxieties and what triggers problems or episodes.
DI-WOW
I'm a mum-of-4 & I gave my council home a glow-up on a budget
An ITV source revealed: “The screening takes place before contracts are signed.
“The processes evaluate someone’s ability to cope in the show. It doesn’t matter that someone is famous – they are still human and with the same frailties as the rest of the population.”
Culture Club included Jon Moss, far left, Mikey Craig, middle left, George, middle right and Roy Hay
