Nigel Farage puffs on a cigarette at Heathrow airport as he heads to Australia – appearing to CONFIRM his appearance on I’m A Celebrity after ‘row’ over the show’s smoking ban
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Nigel Farage has been pictured arriving at Heathrow airport in London on Saturday as he appeared to confirm his appearance in the I’m A Celebrity jungle.
The former politician, 59, is the first person to leave the UK and head to Australia ahead of the new series, which kicks off a week on Sunday.
Nigel was spotted puffing on a cigarette in the smoking area following claims he nearly rejected the offer to appear on the show due to the smoking ban.
ITV bosses were said to be in crisis talks with Nigel’s team after he raised concerns about the show’s cigarette ban.
In an attempt to keep Nigel interested, producers were event reportedly considering changing this rule for him.
Arrival: Nigel Farage has been pictured arriving at Heathrow airport in London on Saturday as he appeared to confirm his appearance in the I’m A Celebrity jungle
Pictured: Nigel was spotted puffing on a cigarette in the smoking area following claims he nearly rejected the offer to appear on the show due to the smoking ban
Australia bound! The politician, 59, is the first person to leave the UK and head to Australia ahead of the new series, which kicks off a week on Sunday
Speaking on the Paper Cuts podcast, political journalist Ava Evans said: ‘Would you like some insider knowledge of why Nigel Farage was considering not doing it? It is the smoking ban. You can’t smoke and he is a very heavy smoker.’
‘Will they let him smoke at the back?’ host Miranda Sawyer asked.
‘I think that’s being negotiated,’ Ava replied. ‘That was a discussion that Chris Moyles also had last year because he is also a very heavy smoker.’
However it seems Nigel’s team worked out a deal, as he flashed a beaming smile as he strolled through the terminal, before stopping for a pint at The Queen’s Arms pub before boarding his 24-hour flight.
Nigel was sporting a pink checked jacket with a blue shirt and beige chinos, which he wore with a pair of deck shoes for the trip.
According to sources, Nigel will be making his journey Down Under in a Singapore Airlines suite cabin, which costs £8,000 for a one-way fare.
In previous years, contestants are usually treated to a business class seat before beginning three gruelling weeks in the jungle.
His appearance comes after it was reported that bosses have reportedly predicted a fallout between Nigel and a campmate who branded him ‘irrelevant and useless’.
The hit reality series returns to ITV on November 19 and ITV bosses are already bracing themselves for a major head-to-head.
Smile! Nigel was pictured snapping a picture with fans in the airport
Last one for a while! The budding reality star was also pictured outside the airport puffing on a cigarette in the smoking area while chatting to a woman
On my way: Nigel flashed a beaming smile as he strolled through the terminal
Pit stop: Nigel stopped for a pint at The Queen’s Arms before boarding his 24-hour flight
Nigel is likely to clash with Fred Sirieix, 51, of First Dates, who wrote in a 2017 tweet that the National Assembly of France deputy Marine Le Pen was ‘as irrelevant and useless as her friend @Nigel_Farage’.
In another 2017 tweet, Fred wrote: ‘Farage is a coward who likes money, attention & the sound of his own voice far too much. Definitely not a selfless idealistic revolutionary.’
Fred rose to fame as the Maître d’ in the Channel 4 dating show, a role he secured due to his decades of work in Michelin-starred restaurants.
In 2018, he wrote: ‘In a taxi. Nigel Farage on the radio. Just politely asked the driver to switch to @vibesfm’.
It is not known exactly where Fred’s dislike of Nigel comes from, but he did voice support for Britain remaining in the EU while Nigel was a staunch Brexiteer.
In 2019, he wrote: ‘.@patel4witham @ukhomeoffice Just got a letter from [email protected] apparently you need proof I have been in the UK for last 5 years.
He continued: ‘Is this a joke? I have lived here for 27 years continuously.’
Fred called Brexit ‘a con’ in 2021 and said the outlook for the UK food and restaurant industry was ‘grim’.
Meanwhile, Nigel is known for his controversial opinions, his inflammatory speech, and his fierce Remain stance.
He once called Brexit: ‘the greatest moment in modern British history’.
Fred has been open with his issues with the Home Office over the years.
Catching up: Nigel was joined by a female chaperone in the smoking area
Airport attire: Nigel was sporting a pink checked jacket with a blue shirt and beige chinos, which he wore with a pair of deck shoes for the trip
Checking in: Nigel was joined by severl others at the check in desk
This way! One of the chaperone’s appeared to offer to carry his bag
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