Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts has been evicted from I’m A Celebrity… South Africa.

The American singer, a runner-up in the 2012 series, lasted 12 days in camp before being eliminated for being the slowest to complete a challenge puzzle.

Speaking to presenters Ant and Dec after being evicted she said: “I’m very gutted I didn’t see it til the end. In my head I was like, I know this is challenging and tough. I mean, y’all stepped it up a few notches.

Speaking about her fellow campmates, which included former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, actress Beverley Callard, and Olympian Sir Mo Farah, she said: “I loved them all. Everybody had their own magic.

“I feel really lucky being through this crazy experience with the group that I had.”

She said the all-star series was “really tough” compared with her first stint on the show in 2012.

She said: “The challenges and trials were really tough. It wasn’t just one eyeball, it wasn’t just one smoothie. I mean, Craig (Charles) did 30 something shots of blood and guts and brain.”

“I am proud of myself. I faced some of my fears.

“I am taking away friendships, memories and singing and dancing to Lovely Day on my birthday.”

The singer said she hopes Sir Mo will be crowned king during the highly anticipated finale on Friday.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa airs on weeknights at 9pm on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Wednesday that the Navy’s top civilian official, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, is leaving his job.

In a statement posted to social media, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Phelan was “departing the administration, effective immediately.”

Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao will become acting secretary of the Navy, Parnell said.

The sudden departure comes just a day after Phelan addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the Navy’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., and spoke with reporters about his agenda.

Phelan’s departure also comes just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Army’s top officer, Gen. Randy George. Hegseth also has fired several top generals, admirals and other defense leaders since taking office last year. As with many of those other firings, Pentagon officials did not offer a reason for Phelan’s departure.

Phelan is leaving just as the U.S. Navy has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and is targeting ships linked to Tehran around the world during a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war.

Phelan had not served in the military or had a civilian leadership role in the service before President Donald Trump nominated him for secretary in late 2024.

Phelan was a major donor to Trump’s campaign and founded the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC. According to his biography, Phelan’s primary exposure to the military came from an advisory position he held on the Spirit of America, a non-profit that supported the defense of Ukraine and the defense of Taiwan.

The Associated Press could not immediately reach Phelan’s office for comment.

Cao ran a failed U.S. Senate bid in Virginia to try to unseat Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in 2024. He had Trump’s endorsement in the crowded Republican primary.

Cao is a 25-year Navy veteran who served in combat zones. His biography includes fleeing Vietnam with his family as a child in the 1970s. In a campaign video for his Senate bid, he compared Vietnam’s communist regime during the Cold War to the administration of President Joe Biden.

“We are losing our country,” Cao said in video during the campaign, which blamed Biden for the criminal cases against Trump and showed footage of border crossings and store lootings. “You know it. But you also know that you can’t say it. We’re forced to say that wrong is right. We’re forced to lie.”

The singer became the second star to quit the ITV series after Jimmy Bullard

I’m A Celebrity South Africa star Sinitta has slammed one of her campmates for ‘being in her ear’ over her shock exit from the ITV reality show.

It was a busy night in the jungle on Wednesday (April 22), with Pussycall Dolls singer Ashley Roberts the first star to be sent home. Ashley was the slowest in a challenge which some fans claimed used after footballer Jimmy Bullard quit the series earlier in the week.

Later in the show, the remaining celebrities were told that they’d be facing the next trial in pairs. Titled Dragged Through Hell, each celebrity pair were shackled together, back to back by the waist and ankles.

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A wall separated them from their partner but they were connected by a chain. In order to complete the trial they had to solve maths questions, solve codes and unlock the lockers to find a key that releases them from their shackles.

Mo and football legend Harry Redknapp, former Emmerdale actor Adam Thomas and Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt, and Sinitta and Coronation Street icon Craig Charles formed the teams.

Just one day after Jimmy was seen quitting the series, Sinitta was unable to finish the first part of the challenge. With Craig standing by wondering what to do, Sinitta stopped the trial by saying ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’.

Assuring Adam Thomas and Scarlett Moffatt, who won the trial, to send her home, Sinitta said: “Craig would have found it if I had such an amazing time, I’m not even sad.”

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However, Sinitta has now revealed that she ‘instantly regretted’ saying the words that stopped the challenge. According to the singer, Craig was the one who ‘gave up’.

She told ITV: “Yes, instantly. I quit because somebody else was telling me to do it. Even if we came last, I wouldn’t have quit. I’m not a quitter. I quit out of guilt and pressure, not because I’d run out of steam.

“It was taking me a long time, I admit. But what I had in my ear was, ‘Oh Sinitta, just throw it. I’m standing here like a lemon’. To me, he [Craig] gave up. I wish I’d fought for myself at the time.”

Sinitta added: “I got what I came here for, which was courage. This sense of being able to do whatever I believe. I feel rejuvenated. It was magical and so much fun. I laughed every day. I faced my fears.

“I understand now, after being terrified of everything most of my life, the way to overcome your fears is to face them. I feel like this fearless, robust person now, rather than a fragile person. It’s been like therapy.

“The second time in the jungle is a memory I will cherish forever. The first time, let’s just pretend that didn’t happen!”

Noting that she feels ‘more robust and resilient now’ than when she first took part on I’m A Celebrity in 2011, Sinitta said that she is a ‘strong woman’.

She explained: “I’m an older girl, I know I don’t like to admit it. This is better than any anti-aging cream or pill, just face your fears, have some fun, don’t let age hold you back. Be inspired and do stuff, don’t put things off because you’re scared, push through it, there’s nothing but dry on the other side.”

Two I’m A Celebrity South Africa contestants left the ITV show on Wednesday, leaving fans baffled ahead of the iconic Celebrity Cyclone trial

I’m A Celebrity South Africa is nearing its end and it’s time for one of the iconic moments in every series – the Cyclone. However, despite two famous faces being evicted on Wednesday’s episode, fans were left confused that the task will have five contestants.

Ashley Roberts was the first to leave camp in a double eviction after being the slowest to complete a brain game. Sinitta then called the famous phrase, I’m a celebrity, get me out of here in a task as she struggled to get by snakes in Dragged Through Hell.

It left both her and Craig Charles facing the boot, with Scarlett Moffatt and Adam Thomas opting to send the 80s pop star home. Despite there being five remaining campmates, Ant and Dec then told the group to prepare for the Cyclone – something an ecstatic Scarlett labelled her experience in Australia doing as the second best day of her life after giving birth.

READ MORE: I’m A Celebrity’s Ant and Dec’s ‘dig’ at Adam Thomas after furious Jimmy rowREAD MORE: Adam Thomas’ brother Ryan had own reality TV scandal after being falsely accused on CBB

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Traditionally the final four take on the task. However, exceptions do exist based on the series. But viewers online were quick to point out their confusion on Twitter /X.

One user wrote: “Cyclone is usually four people #ImACeleb #imacelebrity.” Another agreed, adding: “I thought only 4 do Celebrity Cyclone? #ImACeleb #ImACelebrity #ImAaCelebSouthAfrica.”

Craig, Scarlett, Sir Mo Farah, Adam Thomas and Harry Redknapp will take on the task and Dec branded it “bigger” and “badder” than ever before.

When it came to the show’s exits, Ashley admitted she was “gutted” not to make it to the end. And viewers seemed to agree. One wrote: “what do you mean ashley is gone [heartbroken emoji]. I wanted her in the final #ImACeleb”

Another user said: “Ashley going out because of a tik tok challenge noooo justice for Ashley #imacelebrity #imaceleb.” And a third wrote: “Can we have Ashley back now Sinitta called it? Adam came back so…. Fairs fair, right?”

Ashley had told Geordie duo Ant and Dec in her exit chat: “In my head, I knew that was challenging and tough but y’all stepped it up a few notches. It was wild. But I was just like, ‘I can get through this, I wanna make it to the end’.

“But unfortunately Mo did his puzzle in 36 seconds and you could’ve gone to the fridge, made a snack, had a cup of tea, phoned a friend and I was still there.

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Sinitta admitted she feels she quit too soon. When asked if she regretted her decision, she said: “Yes, instantly. I quit because somebody else was telling me to do it. Even if we came last, I wouldn’t have quit. I’m not a quitter.

“I quit out of guilt and pressure, not because I’d run out of steam. It was taking me a long time, I admit. But what I had in my ear was, “Oh Sinitta, just throw it. I’m standing here like a lemon.” To me, he [Craig] gave up. I wish I’d fought for myself at the time.”