‘Danny Jones’ I’m A Celebrity win means he’s made British reality TV history’

Danny Jones has conquered the I’m A Celebrity jungle and his partner-in-crime, McFly’s Tom Fletcher was hoping his friend would make history.

After 21 years together in show business there’s very little Danny and Tom haven’t done together from communal post-gig showers to writing musicals to judging on The Voice, and much, much more.

So naturally, Tom (lead vocalist of the hit 00s band) was Danny’s number one champion as he faced his biggest challenge yet – winning over the public on live TV.

‘He’s been my best friend since we were 16/17. We’ve grown up with each other so I’ve known for most my life that he is the most awesome human being I’ve ever met. I love that now all of the campmates and everyone watching is getting to see that side of him as well,’ the 39-year-old told Metro before Danny was crowned King of the Jungle.

Danny made quite the impression on the show, shocking campmate Dean McCullough after admitting him and his McFly bandmates took showers and baths together after gigs.

The All About You hitmaker, however, has taken the public revelation in his stride.

He quipped: ‘I mean, well, for us, that’s just normal. We didn’t realise there was anything weird about us for showering and having baths with each other.

‘News to me that that wasn’t just what everyone does after a gig. I thought all bands did that.’

Danny had big shoes to fill after his other bandmate Dougie Poynter won season 11 of the hit ITV reality series and Tom’s wife, podcaster and author Giovanna Fletcher, swooped to victory in season 20.

‘I think deep down all of us want to see him in the jungle doing some horrendous trials so we selfishly told him that he should definitely do it,’ Tom said about Danny asking his friends for advice ahead of the show.

Adding: ‘But I don’t know if he feels the pressure. You can’t go into any of these shows expecting to win. [They are] iconic British institutions and we all feel very lucky we are in a position that we get asked to be part of them.’

Danny was already on a winning streak after landing top spot on last year’s The Masked Singer and sharing the winning coach title with Tom on The Voice.

Tom continued: ‘It would just be the cherry on top if he got to do the triple and win. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before. I think that would be a pretty awesome end to the year. I think he deserves to win.’

But with so many I’m A Celeb alumni around him, Tom is more than content to pass on risking himself in the Australian wilderness.

’I’ve had my moment on Strictly and I let the side down by not winning,’ he reflected.

‘I think I was the first one of us to not win a reality show so maybe my time’s up. Plus we’ve already got an I’m A Celeb crown in the house so that’s [Gi’s] thing.’

Although Danny has been on the other side of the world, he is still with Tom in spirit as one of the collaborators on the musical adaptation of his bestselling children’s book, The Creakers.

As his ‘first fully-fledged musical’, the Brit award winner has described the project as a ‘dream come true’ and a ‘pinch-me-moment’ in his career so far.

And, as someone also working on West End’s highly-anticipated Paddington: The Musical, he has happily shifted gear from album-penning to stage-writing.

‘As an almost 40-year-old [it’s difficult] to find something to write about for the band that isn’t doing the school runs and the mundane of real life. It was a lot easier when we were 18 and were fuelled with angst and romance to find inspiration for lyrics,’ he joked.

The story (as with all Tom’s children-based work, he is sense-checked by his ‘brutally honest’ sons, six, eight and 10) follows Lucy, a young girl who wakes up one day to find all the adults have disappeared.

‘There’s a bit of spookiness, a lot of magic and on the stage, amazing puppetry, incredible choreography, amazing set design and staging. It’s a real magical theater experience for the whole family,’ he teased.

The That Girl singer has accumulated plenty of experience in the music industry over the years. But his success didn’t stop him from feeling ‘nervous’ when he and Danny started as coaches on The Voice.

‘I’ve always been hesitant to give advice and I never wanted to feel like I was coming across like I knew everything about the music business and what people should do. The truth is, no one does,’ he explained.

But after seeing so many of his idols, like fellow mentor Sir Tom Jones himself, ‘winging it’ it gave him the confidence he needed to share his stories.

Perhaps the most unexpected part of the gig was realising just how much ‘undiscovered talent’ there was.

He added: ‘You weren’t waiting for someone great to come along, you could have turned for anyone.’

As he gets swept up in a busy festive period, however, Tom is already looking toward 2025 which promises an unconventional reunion with Busted.

But McBusted are no more.

‘This isn’t like before when we were one happy family. The happy family has split. We’re headed against each other this time,’ he shared.

Then continued: ‘We’ve always said we’re mates but beneath all that there’s definitely been a bubbling rivalry, with has fuelled both our bands to push each other over the years to do better.

‘We’ve never outwardly spoken about it before and this is the first time we’ve ever embraced it so it’s been quite an interesting social experiment. Watch out Busted.’

A version of this story was originally published on November 28, 2024.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: ‘Thrilled’ I’m a Celebrity star lands major new contract in legendary TV show

MORE: I’m A Celebrity 2024 winner breaks down in tears after being crowned champion

MORE: I’m A Celebrity fans horrified over how much celebrities really eat in the jungle