As the latest season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! heats up, a familiar name is set to make a dramatic entrance — but the usual family reunion at the end of the jungle rope bridge won’t be happening this year. Vogue Williams, the Dublin-born presenter and media personality, is preparing to join the jungle camp as a latecomer, much to the anticipation of fans and producers alike. Yet, the absence of her husband, Spencer Matthews, is drawing almost as much attention as her imminent arrival.
According to The Daily Mail and The Sun, Spencer Matthews is unable to travel to Australia to support Vogue due to an extraordinary commitment of his own. The former Made in Chelsea star is currently in the midst of a grueling global challenge: completing seven full Ironman triathlons — that’s a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run for each event — across seven continents in just 21 days. With his next race slated for South Africa, the timing of Vogue’s jungle debut simply couldn’t have been more inconvenient for the couple.
Insiders close to the family told The Daily Mail that the scheduling conflict was “unfortunate” but ultimately unavoidable. “Of course, Spencer would want nothing more than to support Vogue in Australia and be there waiting for her when she leaves the jungle, but they’d both already committed to their own projects, and the schedules overlap,” the source explained. The insider added, “There’s a small chance Spencer could finish his triathlon challenge ahead of schedule, but it’s unlikely he would then fly to Australia.”
That leaves the couple’s three young children — Theodore, aged seven, Gigi, five, and Otto, three — at home in London. While their parents chase their respective dreams on opposite sides of the globe, the kids will continue attending school and cheering on their mum from afar, catching glimpses of her jungle antics on television whenever possible. “They’ll both be missing their children, who will stay in London, continue attending school, and no doubt support their parents from afar – catching Vogue on TV whenever they can,” the insider told The Sun.
For Vogue Williams, the decision to enter the jungle wasn’t taken lightly, especially given the time away from her young family. A TV insider revealed to The Sun, “It will be a hard decision to go on the show, because it will mean so much time away from her kids, but she wants to fight her fears and go for it.” The same source highlighted the excitement surrounding Vogue’s participation: “Vogue would be one of the most glam signings I’m A Celeb has landed in years and they are thrilled. Her star is massively on the rise and this would be one of her biggest gigs yet. She is really fun and gets on with everyone, so bosses reckon she will be a hit with viewers.”
The couple, who married in 2018, have kept relatively quiet about Vogue’s jungle appearance. Spencer, in particular, has been tight-lipped, refusing to confirm or deny the rumors during a recent television interview. Yet, the buzz around her jungle debut has only grown, with fans speculating about how she’ll handle the notorious bushtucker trials and the intense living conditions of the camp.
Spencer Matthews, meanwhile, is no stranger to the I’m A Celebrity experience — albeit for reasons he’d rather forget. Back in 2015, he joined the show as a surprise campmate, only to be removed after just three days when it was revealed he had been taking steroids in preparation for a charity boxing match. Speaking candidly on The Mail’s Everything I Know About Me podcast last year, Spencer described the incident as “the worst thing that’s ever happened” in his career. He admitted he hates being referred to as a former contestant, saying, “I wasn’t really.”
Reflecting on the scandal, Spencer, who was 35 at the time of the incident, explained that he had been “young and impressionable” and took Anvar, an anabolic steroid, believing it would help him prepare physically for the boxing event. What he didn’t realize was that the substance is illegal in Australia without a medical prescription, and abruptly stopping it can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms. “I was removed completely against my will and for that it’s annoying because I would loved to have done it. It’s a bit of an ordeal now and a lot of people think I left on my own and that’s simply not true. I was fully taken out against my will,” Spencer told Closer. He further claimed that while producers knew he had been using the supplement, they were unaware of its legal status Down Under, which ultimately forced his swift exit from the show.
Despite the ignominious end to his jungle stint, Spencer has expressed a desire to return to I’m A Celebrity and complete the experience on his own terms. But for now, his focus is firmly set on his Ironman odyssey — a challenge that demands not just physical endurance, but also rigorous travel and relentless time management. As The Daily Mail noted, the travel schedule is so punishing that “there was simply no way for him to fit in a detour to Australia.”
As for the Matthews-Williams household, this period marks a particularly challenging stretch of family logistics. With both parents pursuing high-profile, time-consuming projects, the couple’s ability to juggle public and private commitments is being put to the test. Their children, meanwhile, are getting a front-row seat to both the glamour and the grit of their parents’ careers — albeit from the comfort of their London home.
With Vogue’s jungle entrance looming and Spencer’s Ironman challenge racing ahead, both are set to face their own unique trials in the coming weeks. One thing is certain: while they may be separated by thousands of miles and the demands of their respective pursuits, the support and pride within their family remains unwavering. Fans of I’m A Celebrity — and of the Matthews-Williams clan — will no doubt be watching closely as this high-profile couple navigates one of their busiest, most public chapters yet.
