Nigel Farage finds an audience even in the middle of nowhere

June 2024 · 2 minute read

The third word in this programme’s title is often the hardest working term in showbusiness, and so it proved again as we met Farage’s supporting players, whose fiercest Bushtucker Trial will surely be to try and not think about how much less they’re being paid to be there.

There’s a YouTuber, 26-year-old Nella Rose; EastEnders’ Danielle Harold and Hollyoaks’ Nick Pickard; Fred Sirieux from First Dates, plus TV presenters Marvin Humes and Josie Gibson. There’s TV “personality” Sam Thompson and food critic Grace Dent. And finally Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of Britney and insister she’s just as well known as an actress and singer.

As some skydived or leapt off skyscrapers to introduce themselves, Farage, Gibson and Rose were sent 2,000 miles into the Australian outback for a series of challenges. Farage came dressed as Michael Portillo on an interrail holiday: salmon linen shirt, union flag socks, indigo chinos, deck shoes. 

He and Gibson reflected on their plight. “It can’t be worse than Brexit...” Gibson said. Farage guffawed. “I had a feeling we’d get a bit of that!” We will indeed, and it’s already tiring. Ant n Dec missed no opportunity. “Is it me, or did he veer just a bit too far to the right?” Dec quipped, while Farage drove a 4x4. 

As with Matt Hancock last year, it’ll be interesting to see how much sympathy the presenters afford another highly-paid political figure using the programme to “show another side” to themselves. 

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