26 November 2023 , 22:38
839
0
Ant and Dec have joked about a deadly snake being found next to Sam Thompson's bed.
The presenting duo are back Down Under for the latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! as they've welcomed 12 celebrities into the camp. However, over the weekend Made in Chelsea star Sam narrowly avoided being bitten by a snake which can kill.
A small eyed snake was removed from the I'm A Celeb camp just yards from his bed. The 31-year-old and the rest of camp were asleep when the dangerous snake slithered into camp. Due to it being so highly venomous, the snake needed to be taken out immediately.
A deadly snake was found next to Sam Thompson's bed (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)On Sunday night's show Ant and Dec referenced the unwelcome guest in camp. Opening the show, Dec said: "The celebs are really opening up to each other. It's like I always say, the jungle is a safe space for everyone." Ant quipped: "Yes a safe space where you get thrown out of a helicopter, sleep next to deadly snakes and are forced to eat a cow's anus." Dec added: "It's like I always say the jungle is an incredibly dangerous safe space for everyone."
Discussing the snake, show source said: "On Saturday night the camp had a very unwelcome visitor and the snake needed to be removed quickly and safely. The small eyes snake slithered in and was seen venturing near to Sam, Luckily the rangers spotted it and were quick to act and swiftly removed the snake, without even waking Sam or the other celebrities."
TOWIE's Chloe Brockett makes cheeky dig at Saffron Lempriere during filming
The small eyed snake is described as "highly venomous" and will bite readily and "thrash about if handled". Any bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with correct first aid. The snakes are glossy dark grey to black with cream or pink belly and 50 to 90cm long.
The species have caused at least one human fatality before. Its appearance in camp comes after a record number of snakes were removed from the I'm A Celebrity location. Health and Safety Officer Jeremy Douglas admitting the weather has seen more than ever in camp.
He said: “We have had a lot of snakes on the site this year, possibly because it has been so humid. We have had pythons, and non-venomous and venomous species. You get small eyed snakes and brown tree snakes predominantly."
Executive producer Laura Woolf added: "We've had 15 snake sightings across the site and then we've had to identify some venomous ones in camp." It's not the first time celebrities have dealt with snakes in the camp either. Back in 2012 Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder and MP Lembit Opik battled for immunity in a contest in which they attempted to find 10 keys in boxes containing rats and an Australian carpet python.
As they rummaged around inside a dark cage, the python sank its teeth into their fingers. Both celebrities needed medical treatment. While actress and comedian Emily Atack found herself on the receiving end of a nasty bite in the first Bushtucker trial of the series in 2018.