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Red Moon · 20-11-2008, 11:18 AM

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Joe's living every boy's dream in the jungle!

HE may be 10,000 miles from home and living on a diet of crocodile penis and live cockroaches - but Islington boy Joe Swash is already king of the jungle.

The ex-EastEnder, who grew up in Barnsbury and went to Hanover Primary School, in Noel Road, Islington, has been such a star on ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here he has already been installed as 4/1 favourite to win.

His cheeky chappie personality and up-for-anything attitude have seen him nominated for three "bushtucker trials" in a row by viewers hungry to see more of his antics - and his devoted mum Kiffy could not be more proud.

Speaking exclusively to the Gazette before she jets out to Australia to support Joe on Saturday, Ms Swash said: "Joe's been absolutely brilliant in the jungle so far. He's just bloody hilarious and we're really proud of him.

"Me and his sisters Shana and Casie watch it every night and can't stop laughing. I knew he would not eat those things that looked like old ladies hands on Tuesday night - but who would have thought he'd eat live cockroaches?

"I feel sorry for him having to do some of those tasks but it's like a boy's adventure for him. He can't dance or skate or anything like that so he wasn't going to do those programmes, but this is a chance to be Indiana Jones which is every boy's dream.

"Who would not want to jump out of a plane and live in the jungle?"

So far Joe has had to manfully stick his hand into some slimy wildlife, wolf down a scorpion on a stick and be dunked in a tank filled with water and critters.

He even swore live on air on Tuesday night when he realised he was up for another task, but his mum would be happy to see him in the hotseat again.

"We think it's great that the public keep voting him to do the tasks, because if they didn't like him and find him funny they wouldn't keep putting him up," said Ms Swash.

"He's a great sport and he's always been a team player. He even helped Simon and Nicola out when he was up against them.

"I suppose we're pleased that he's favourite because it means people like him, but these things change really quickly."

Even before he set foot in the jungle Joe got an unexpected surprise, when the girlfriend of one of his oldest friends turned out to be one of his fellow contestants.

Ms Swash said: "One of his great mates is the footballer Joe Cole. They have known each other since they were about seven or eight when they played for Chapel Boys together and were known as the two Joes, so it was a real surprise for all of us when Joe Cole's girlfriend Carly Zucker was in there too.

Source: Islington Gazette