I’m A Celebrity: Malcolm McLaren

61 year old Malcolm McLaren took some persuading to join I’m a Celebrity, and reveals he’s never seen the show.

“I’ve been talked through it on a number of occasions with one of the producers, who have been clamouring at my gate to persuade me to participate in this show for a number of years, and somehow they’ve managed to lasso me this time. I know not much more than that, other than one of my ex Sex Pistols, Johnny Rotten, was on the show once upon a time. But having said that, I’d say I’m reasonably well oiled in the world of TV shows. I’ve been on them for number of years across all nations.”

When it comes to living in the jungle Malcolm says: “I can only imagine what that’s like in the foliage and the dense jungle and I guess it’s a question of how good I can be at being bad in there in order to sort of keep the whole thing rocking and rolling, as they say.”

He has some concerns about what may lurk in the there.

“I’m not exactly an experienced Jungle Jim so I have no idea other than what you can only imagine to be the worst case scenario of poisonous snakes and uncontrollable wild beasts. I’ve had a few of those in my day but of a more urban nature. I should imagine I’m going to act with extreme trepidation. So that’s where it stands at the moment, I’ve got almost printed on my forehead ‘Don’t bungle the jungle’. So that’s my code, that’s my motto.”

Why did he decide to face the snakes and wild beasts?

“Well I was cajoled, flattered, seduced, given arms full of swag. I’m not really thinking beyond that. I think it’s often best for someone like me not to think too hard about these things. If I do, I might have that awful factor that I’ve been accused of so much in my life of getting bored really quickly so to not think about it and just to be there will be the best route possible for someone like me.”

As for special skills Malcolm says the only skill he’s ever had is “being good at being bad”. He adds: “If that can help you in the jungle, I don’t know. I pray to the Lord it might!”

Malcolm is hoping the jungle experience will be a pleasant holiday. “Oh I hope to have a very nice holiday in the jungle. I hope to have a long, good rest. I hope to be able to meditate on my life and times. It will hopefully be a brilliant holiday, even better than when I’m by the sunny shores of the Caribbean or whatever.

“I am looking forward to doing it with people who I probably don’t know but then again I have met an awful lot of people on this planet, but I probably won’t know anyone and that’ll be intriguing. I’m always up for knowing someone new, so I look forward to all of that.”

He agrees he could irritate his fellow campmates, but then again they should be wary of annoying him.

“I could annoy people by not listening to them, and I am probably the number one person for not obeying any kind of rules. I am utterly irresponsible, I am completely childish, and probably everything this production team and society hate so there you go. You have to take it as it comes, dear.”

When it comes to winding up Malcolm it would be people who are opposite to him and try and follow or enforce rules.” It’s very, very hard for me to end up in company of that kind. It usually would end up in a fracas at some point. Blows will be committed to each other or towards each other. It could be very explosive.”

Malcolm admits he hasn’t got any idea of how to prepare for the jungle experience.

“I don’t know what to prepare for places that I have no real experience of. I keep thinking Jungle Jim, Jungle Jim, and I don’t know why. I think I must have seen some serial on the telly when I was about seven or eight, that’s a long time ago and TV I think had only just begun, but they did have a programme on the BBC called Jungle Jim and so that’s about all I can remember - that and Tarzan, but I’m not sure I can behave like Tarzan.”

So what are the things that he will miss while he’s on the show?

“Well probably a good bathroom, and the second thing is probably nice clothes, looking forever fashionable and being reasonably good looking and all that goes with that, which is a good urban lifestyle. All of that will sort of disappear and I will feel fairly naked. “
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Malcolm has met many artists in his varied life and when it come to celebrity supporters while he is in the jungle he says there will be: “Thousands, stretching from Damien Hurst to Kate Moss to a host of stars in Hollywood and artists from all spheres.”