An ode to Tony Bellew: The sexy, sensitive boxer who’s already our king of the jungle

Having not been a fan of boxing, or, you know, sports at all for that matter, I had never heard of Tony Bellew before he stepped foot in the I’m A Celeb jungle. Even those who did know him and followed his career beforehand, knew him as Tony “the bomber” Bellew, the hardcore, toughened former heavyweight champion. But during his ongoing stint on the ITV show his hard exterior has started to crack and is revealing a much softer, sensitive side to the scouser.

Sam Thompson, the Goldren Retriever of the campmates this year, was quick to express his glee at Tony joining the show, proclaiming that he wanted to make the boxer his “best friend” and showering him with hugs and his gleeful nature. Now with the final looming this Sunday, it seems that the other campmates and the British public alike now all feel the same way about Mr Bellew as Sam does. So whether or not Tony ends up winning this year’s season, he’s proven himself as an absolutely top notch bloke and the people’s king of the jungle.

via ITV/Shutterstock

He always lends a shoulder for his campmates to cry on

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Despite other big energies in the camp, Tony slowly and surely established himself as the patriarch of the group, lending a shoulder to cry on when his fellow campmates were missing and a steady force others can use to ground themselves on. After Nella had a spat with Fred in the show’s first week and the public continuously voted for her to do trial after trial, she sought comfort in Tony who provided her with all the support she needed. When Nella eventually became the second person to leave the jungle after the public’s vote, Tony was the first person she turned to when saying her goodbyes, admitting: “I’m going to miss you” to her new friend.

He’s genuinely hilarious and always down for a laugh

Despite his fairly stoic exterior, Tony has provided much needed comic relief during the trials, whether he meant to or not. On his entrance to the jungle, Tony partook in an eating trial where he went up against Nigel Farage to drink repulsive “smoothies”. And whilst Nigel took it like a champ, Tony’s body betrayed him and, understandably, just absolutely repelled the blended drinks to the extent that he could only keep them down for a short while before they came right the way back up again. Tony, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry to say that was probably one of the funniest trials I have seen on I’m A Celeb. Watching a man of his size being morbidly humbled like that was fantastic television.

Then in a trial he partook in last night with Nick and Marvin, whilst being utterly bombarded with offal and slime, Tony Bellew delivered one of the best lines in the history of I’m A Celeb: “I know my vowels. I love Countdown!” Honestly, I don’t know what’s funnier: The fact Tony watches Countdown or Ant and Dec’s reaction.

@antanddec.v

“I know the vowels, I love countdown” – Tony Bellew on I’m a Celebrity 😭😂 #imaceleb #imacelebrity #imacelebrity2023 #antanddec #imacelebritygetmeoutothere #antmcpartlin #declandonnelly #funny #brit #telly #fypシ #banter #Uktiktok #humour #itv #foryou #british #tonybellew @Ant & Dec @imacelebrity

♬ original sound – Ant and Dec videos

Despite his hard exterior, he’s revealed himself to be a massive softie

Like many of his fellow campmates, Tony has spoken about his family, his wife and sons, whilst being in the jungle and in doing so revealed himself as a hopeless romantic. He told his campmates how he and his wife Rachael are childhood sweethearts, having known each other since they nine years old but reconnected when they were 18 when they bumped into each at a nightclub where Tony was working as a bouncer. He revealed how Rachael rejected him three times before eventually agreeing to go out with him and the couple have now been together for 22 years and married for five. Tony’s eyes absolutely light up when he talks about his three sons, sharing how he makes an effort to spend time with each of his boys one-on-one, engaging in their individual interests. So as well as being just a top notch bloke all round, he also seems to be a fantastic father.

But if all of that wasn’t enough, he’s also just really bloody hot and I can’t lie, I even liked the horseshoe moustache.

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Featured image via Shutterstock/ITV.