Former boxing champion Tony Bellew has acknowledged that his jungle adventure is tinged with sadness, as his “wonderful” nan Rose passed away just 24 hours after he signed his I’m A Celebrity contract.

The 40-year-old, entering the camp as one of two late entries, paid tribute to Rose, whom he considered a “second mum.” Rose, aged 97, was eagerly anticipating watching him compete on the show. Bellew revealed that he committed to flying out to Australia only after confirming that he could return home in time for her funeral.

Tony stated, “I signed the day before she passed away, so there was no going back then. If I sign something, I honour my agreement. In an ideal world, I would have left it, but I had signed. I was coming, so I am here. But I am going back to bury her on the 15th. I was going to renegade if I couldn’t move the burial date. I can bury her now when I get back.”

In paying tribute to Rose, whom he referred to as “the boss of the house” on social media, he added, “She was in a home. And she told my mum ‘I’ll be able to watch that [I’m A Celeb] every night.’ So yeah, it is what it is. She’ll be watching, you know, from wherever she is and whatever she’s doing. She was a diamond of an old lady. She was wonderful.”