Lisa Riley defended following Bushtucker Trial backlash: 'I don’t even know if she wants to do a trial'
Amid concerns that she isn't getting enough airtime…
I’m A Celebrity star Lisa Riley hasn’t done a full Bushtucker Trial yet and, after complaints from viewers, one ex-campmate has waded in.
Back in 2010, Gillian McKeith cemented her place in show history as she fainted during the series’ live Bushtucker Trial. She returned for the All Stars spin-off in 2023. So she’s something of an authority on the show.
Now, she’s given her take on why the viewers aren’t voting for Lisa Riley to take part in any full Bushtucker Trials. And she reckons Lisa won’t care one little bit, quipping: “I’d have been delighted not to!”
Lisa Riley defended after Bushtucker Trial backlash
Speaking on behalf of Paddy Power Bingo, Gillian told us she doesn’t think it’s unfair that Lisa has so far evaded the dreaded Bushtucker Trials.
“I don’t think it’s unfair. I don’t even know if Lisa wants to do a trial – I’d have been delighted not to! The audience needs to feel they have power. That’s a huge part of why the show works.
“In South Africa there was no viewer vote, and it really didn’t work because the public felt shut out. Here, if Lisa isn’t getting votes, it’s simply because viewers don’t want to see her do one. They’ve seen her do plenty of other things,” Gillian added.
‘Just how the cookie crumbles’
The I’m A Celebrity veteran then commented: “Meanwhile someone like Aitch gets votes because people want to watch him in the trials. That’s just how the cookie crumbles.”
However, Lisa is certainly going to be seen getting down and dirty in the camp’s new Rivals challenge, where she will fight for immunity against one of her fellow show stars.
Scarlette Douglas, meanwhile, who was on the show in 2022, reckons “there’s still time” for Lisa to get stuck into the challenges.
‘There’s still time’
Speaking on behalf of Sky Vegas, she said: “There’s still time for Lisa to do a Bushtucker Trial. As much as she hasn’t done one yet, who knows what will happen tonight, tomorrow or the next day? I’m sure she’s absolutely fine with it. When my name wasn’t called, I let out a big sigh of relief!”
However, Scarlette does think that it may impact Lisa’s chances of winning the show, highlighting her lack of airtime. She also said that the Emmerdale star might not get what she wanted from her jungle experience if she hasn’t “challenged” herself.
“The only downside is you don’t get as much airtime, and you don’t get to properly challenge yourself. Everyone who goes on the show wants that moment where they push their limits and do something they’d never normally do. So although she’s been part of camp challenges, she hasn’t had that Bushtucker Trial yet. But her time could definitely be coming.”
I’m A Celebrity bosses ‘doing what they can to keep things fair’
Praising show bosses, she added: “They’re doing what they can to keep things fair. You can’t do the same person two nights in a row, but if it happens that it comes back to the same person [doing it], so be it. Hopefully, at some point, she will get to try it.”
Regardless of Lisa’s lack of showing in the trials, though, she’s clearly getting enough airtime to impress at the bookies. She’s now 12/1 to win the show, with her chances of winning when she entered the jungle sitting way out at 40/1.
Read more: I’m A Celebrity fans turn on ‘lazy’ Shona McGarty as she’s caught lying to campmates
