I’M A CELEBRITY contestant AngryGinge’s proud mum has admitted the YouTuber’s emotional jungle confession about his tough childhood “got to her”.
Michelle Burtwistle appeared on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain to chat about her son’s stint in the ITV reality series, which has seen him reach the final few days of the show.
The parent has previously admitted she broke down in tears when the Salford lad admitted he was homesick in camp.
We recently told how Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle, has an “unbreakable bond” with his single-parent mum following a difficult childhood with his father.
The 24-year-old signed up to I’m A Celebrity in her honour – pledging to change her life with the opportunities he’ll land after the show.
Finding life difficult in camp, the YouTuber was recently seen sobbing after he confessed to missing home and texting his mum – who brought him and his sister up on £12.5k a year and worked three jobs to do so.
Ginge added at the time: “It’s a bit of a sh**t day really, I just feel as though I’m missing home, missing speaking to my family, food and drink as well is a massive part but they say you have up days and down days.”
He got choked up as he put his head in his hands and said: “I’m holding it in. I suppose it’s just one of my down days.”
The star broke down in tears for a second time later on in the episode, as he shared his sadness over not being able to text his mum.
“It’s just a long time to be away really,” he said.
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Now Michelle has opened up on his candid admissions and told GMB how it pulled at her heartstrings.
Chatting about her son in a live video link to the Gold Coast, she said: “He’s always been competitive and he’s always been emotional, it’s just a different side to him when he’s streaming to who he is in the jungle.
“He’s actually showing himself rather than who he is on the camera.”
Host Ed Balls said: “He [Ginge] was also lovely about you, the sacrifices you haver made for him and his sister, the three jobs, that must have been really touching.”
Michelle, who was sitting alongside Tom Read-Wilson’s mum Juliette Cheeseman, said: “It was yeah and he’s always understood how hard it was for me.
“He’s always been appreciative of it.
Who has won I’m A Celebrity?
I’m A Celebrity first hit our screens in 2002.
Since then, it has aired every year – including twice in 2004.
The show even relocated to Wales during Covid in 2020 and 2021.
Here’s who has been crowned King or Queen of the Jungle – or in some cases, Castle.
2002 – Tony Blackburn
2003 – Phil Tufnell
2004 – Kerry Katona
2004 – Joe Pasquale
2005 – Carol Thatcher
2006 – Matt Willis
2007 – Christopher Biggins
2008 – Joe Swash
2009 – Gino D’Acampo
2010 – Stacey Solomon
2011 – Dougie Poynter
2012 – Charlie Brooks
2013 – Kian Egan
2014 – Carl Fogarty
2015 – Vicky Pattison
2016 – Scarlett Moffatt
2017 – Georgia Toffolo
2018 – Harry Redknapp
2019 – Jacqueline Jossa
2020 – Giovanna Fletcher
2021 – Danny Miller
2022 – Jill Scott
2023 – Sam Thompson
2024 – Danny Jones
“So him talking about it in the jungle and still recognising that, it did get to me yeah.”
FAMILY FIRST
A source recently told The Sun of AngryGinge’s close family ties.
They said: “He might act like one of the lads but Ginge is a mummy’s boy at heart.
“He puts her first and foremost in his life and feels he wants to repay her for all she sacrificed for him.
“His childhood was rocky and they didn’t have much.
“For Ginge, being on I’m a Celeb provides the opportunity to give his mum everything she could ever want. He’s doing it for her.”
The Sun then exclusively reported how the star’s pals fear his turbulent past may come back to haunt him.
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV, ITVX & STV Player.
