Written by Swikblog Entertainment Desk
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is deep into the 2025 series, and last night it claimed another campmate. After a tense public vote, pop legend and TV favourite Martin Kemp became the latest star to leave the jungle – and fans across the UK are absolutely not okay with it.
If you missed the live show, you can catch up on full episodes and clips via the official ITV hub for the series on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, but the online reaction might be even better than the broadcast.
The Moment Martin’s Name Was Called
The tension at the campfire was classic ITV drama. Ant and Dec lined up the bottom two – Martin Kemp and Lisa Riley – before announcing that Martin had received the fewest public votes. What followed was a mix of polite smiles on screen and absolute meltdown on social media.
Within minutes, fan threads and reaction posts flooded X and Instagram. One viewer summed it up perfectly: “Martin finally gets some screen time and a proper trial and that’s the night he goes? The voting public is wild.”
For a more traditional recap of the eviction and how the vote played out, you can see one of the detailed write-ups from UK outlets such as The Independent’s I’m A Celeb live blog, but what follows here is very much the fan POV.
He Finally Got a Big Trial… Then Went Home
A huge part of the frustration comes down to timing. Kemp had just taken on the “Lethal Library” Bushtucker Trial – his first big, messy, star-collecting moment of the series. Viewers who had spent days asking why he hadn’t been picked for more challenges finally got their wish.
He didn’t panic, didn’t throw a tantrum, and didn’t tap out. Instead, he did what a lot of fans expected from him all along: calm, slightly dry humour and a quietly solid performance. Which is exactly why so many people assumed he’d be safe for at least another night.
One fan posted: “So Martin smashes his first big trial and our reward is… sending him home? Britain, we need a group chat.”
Camp Loses Its “Dad Energy”
On screen, the camp reaction said it all. The group looked genuinely shaken – not the usual polite clap and quick hug, but that slightly hollow silence you get when a real anchor leaves. Martin had slipped into the role of calm storyteller, the one who could offer a throwback anecdote or a bit of old-school showbiz wisdom when the mood dipped.
It’s a pattern UK viewers know well. Just as football fans rally around a veteran in a big derby, reality TV audiences often cling to the steady, experienced heads in the chaos. (Swikblog readers will recognise the same emotional whiplash from our coverage of high-stakes moments like the Drunk raccoon virginia liquore store.)
With Kemp gone, camp life suddenly feels louder, younger and a little less grounded – which, depending on your taste, is either exactly what you want before the finale or a reason to grumble at the TV.
Why Fans Think the Wrong Person Left
Scroll through the comments and a clear pattern appears. Fans aren’t just sad; they’re convinced the vote got it wrong. The main arguments popping up again and again:
- Consistency over chaos: Martin wasn’t the loudest, but he rarely put a foot wrong.
- Finalist energy: Many saw him as a natural top-four contestant, not an early exit.
- Nostalgia factor: For viewers who grew up with his music and TV work, he brought a comforting, familiar presence.
- Underrated screen time: Several fans felt he was edited into the background and never got a fair shot at big storylines.
That last point has sparked a whole side-conversation about how the show balances drama with quieter personalities. Some viewers suspect that by the time Kemp finally got his hero moment in a trial, voting habits were already locked in.
As the Sunday finale approaches, fan debates have reached full volume — and clear favourites are emerging. Many viewers see Aitch as the breakout star of the season, winning over younger audiences with his humour and surprising resilience in trials. Jack Osbourne has become a sentimental favourite, with fans praising his calm leadership and steady presence in camp. Shona McGarty has built a strong emotional connection with audiences after opening up about her personal journey, making her a popular “heart over hype” finalist. Meanwhile, Angry Ginge has unexpectedly gone viral for his chaotic energy and loyalty to the camp, turning him into a cult favourite. Lisa Riley and Tom Read Wilson round out the finalists, both earning support from fans who appreciate their warmth, humour and diplomacy. With such a diverse mix of personalities, the fanbase is split — and the jungle crown feels more wide open than ever.
The Online Fanbase Is the Real Spin-Off Show
Alongside official coverage and companion shows like ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Unpacked, the fandom has built its own ecosystem – live-tweet threads, meme accounts, edit compilations and deep-dive breakdowns of who “deserves” to win.
If you dip into the hashtags right now, you’ll find everything from mock “Justice for Martin” campaigns to serious debates about whether quieter campmates ever stand a chance once the votes start to tighten. It’s messy, passionate and completely addictive – exactly what modern reality TV is built on.
So, What Now for Martin Kemp – and for the Crown?
For Martin, the jungle chapter is over, but the post-camp media tour is surely just beginning. Expect chat-show sofas, radio interviews and plenty of stories he didn’t have time to tell by the campfire.
For the remaining celebrities, his departure is a warning: fan favourites can vanish overnight. No one is safe, no edit is guaranteed, and every vote counts.
For the rest of us? We’ll keep doing what we do best – shouting at the TV, arguing online about who should win, and tuning back in tomorrow night anyway. Because love it or hate it, I’m A Celeb still knows exactly how to hook the nation.
