Shane Warne has exited Channel Ten’s I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here after being voted out of the South African jungle days ahead of its finale.
The end of the cricket legend’s innings followed his failure to complete the last group trial. The challenge required him and his fellow celebrities to jump on to a trampoline and glide through the air while grabbing hold of a rope net which hung 60m away.
Warne’s initial reaction to the news he had been voted off was “see you suckers” to the remaining celebrities.
His exit left rugby league identity Paul Harragon, model Laurina Fleure, ex-AFL footballer Brendan Fevola and Australian Idol runner-up Anthony Callea in contention to win Sunday’s series final.
Reflecting on the experience, Warne said: “It is an amazing feeling ... on the one hand I am very relieved and excited that you’re out but to go six weeks and to get so close to go to that final three is sort of disappointing too.”
“It feels good to be out and I look forward to seeing the family and friends and children and everything,” he said.
The spin bowler’s highlights on the program included Warne questioning evolution and claiming humans were descended from aliens and being bitten on the head by an anaconda.
Warne was an early favourite on the program, with many fans noting he was the celeb with the greatest fame factor.
When you're watching "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" in Australia and you don't know any of the "celebrities" except Shane Warne
— Kodi (@lifeofkodi) February 1, 2016
Fans were devastated to see Warne exit:
@ShaneWarne not only a champion on the field but in "real life"...I was shattered that you had to exit...you won in my eyes and many others
— ManicMonica (@naughtynanna01) March 9, 2016
His daughter Brooke was most surprised:
What the F...
— Brooke warne (@brookeyoner) March 9, 2016
But Warne was determined to emphasise the positives of his trials in the jungle, including losing 13kg in weight.
@ShaneWarne F that! Enjoy the food binge
— Greg Reeve (@GregoryJReeve) March 9, 2016
Warne seemed up for the eating challenge set out by his fan, telling Melbourne radio station KIIS 101.1 he now weighed just 79kg “but after the pizza and beer I am about to consume, we may be back up again by the end of the day’’.
But it’s not all pizza and beer that Warne can look forward, as he faces a Victorian state government audit of his recently closed Shane Warne Foundation following allegations about its financial and reporting practices.
