Gobby Kim had to team up with ex-boxer, Joe Bugner, who, only the night before, she'd accused of attempting to bully actor, Stuart Manning.
Yet as they prepared for the trial, the pair seemed to have let bygones be bygones.
Kim said “When I found out I was doing the trial with Joe. I didn’t mind at all. We had our words last night but we’re adults. You know, heat of the moment. I said what I said and he said what he said but we’re friends."
The ex-heavyweight champ was also in a forgiving mood, claiming: “I’m really excited because it’s my first trial and I don’t know what I’m going to confront.”
He added “People think because I’m 6 foot 4 and weigh 120 kgs, I can handle everything but quite the opposite. I don’t like taking on the little critters. I’m sure there’s going to be some beast in there.
“I think Kim and I will make a great team because for the simple reason that we don’t take any nonsense and unfortunately she's a tall lady and I’ve got to watch myself because I don’t think I’m as fast as I used to be because if she throws a right cross, I might be caught under the chin."
“Or a kick in the wotsits with my boot” Kim joked.
Though she might not have been so jolly had she known that when quizzed by George Hamilton about the fallout, Joe had told the ageing Hollywood star: “She’s one of these ladies that wants to dominate. I can imagine what her husband’s like. I bet you he’s happy as well she’s here. She’s nutty enough to do anything. That is a person who’s not balanced sufficiently.”
The trial itself involved one of the celebs being hoisted into a pit of black headed pythons guarding the 11 possible stars by the other, with the twist being that the celeb doing the navigating would be blindfolded.
Producers had boasted that the trial was the scariest yet and the show’s medic Bob had a stern warning for the contestants.
He told them: ‘Whoever goes in the pit must go slowly, the pythons have six rows of teeth, about 90 teeth all pointed backwards. If one should bite, be calm and I”ll come in and detach the snake.’
With that advice ringing in his ear Joe, who had deffered to Kim’s wish to operate the crane, was then left to the mercy of her navigational skills. Which as it turned out weren’t exactly up to Jenson Button standards with the trial turning out to be pythonesque in more ways than one as Kim and Joe both struggled with their directions.
But after a topsy turvy 15 minutes during which time they maneged to bag nine stars and nine meals for the camp the pair seemed happy enough with their efforts.
Asked by Ant and Dec how he felt it went, Joe said: ‘It was hard enough being in the pit but with a lady doing the driving up, down, left and right it’s really difficult.’
Kim added: ‘We hit it off, Joe I’m awfully proud of you.’
