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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Brogan-Leigh Hurst

Who is Cliff Parisi? I'm A Celeb contestant and EastEnders actor confirmed as 12th star

Cliff Parisi has been announced as the last celeb to join this year's star-studded I'm A Celebrity line-up.

The 59-year-old will enter the show at the end of the week alongside Coronation Street's Andy Whyment.

Show bosses think he will provide some laughs as he doesn't take himself too seriously and was once a stand up comic when he started out.

Here's everything you need to know about the new star before he joins the campmates.

Cliff Parisi shot to fame with his role on EastEnders where he first appeared in 2002.

He's best known for playing mechanic 'Minty' Peterson on the hit BBC soap and also now as handyman and gardener Fred Buckle on Call The Midwife.

(BBC)

Parisi was introduced as a permanent character following fans' reactions to his guest parts on the show.

Appearing as Janine Butcher's unsympathetic landlord in March 2002, he then moved on to date Heather Trott and later married her.

His last appearance was broadcast in September 2010, after spending eight years on the iconic soap.

Heather Trott was his on-screen wife in EastEnders (BBC)
Garry Hobbs and Minty Peterson on the soap (BBC)

His role came to an end under Bryan Kirkwood - who was EastEnders' new producer at the time.

In an interview Cliff recalled: "In those days you needed an equity card and there were only a few ways of doing it juggling, stripping or being funny. I was no good at juggling and no one was interested in me stripping."

Fred Buckle played by Cliff Parisi (PA)

Digging deeper into his personal life, Cliff has five children - two with his current wife, Tara, and three from previous relationships.

Tara is a BBC production assistant and met her hubby while he was still at the soap - they've been together since 2010.

He first appeared on the soap in 2002 (BBC)

Speaking about his appearance on the show, an ITV source said: "With Cliff and Andy we have got too big soap names joining the jungle and they'll be a lot of fun.

"Cliff is the final piece in the puzzle and comes from two massive BBC shows. It will be interesting to see if he sees the funny side of things when he has been in there a while and the hunger and tiredness kicks in."

*I'm A Celebrity continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV

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