I’m A Celebrity is drawing to a close this weekend and there’s a new favourite to win after the Cyclone trial twist, which viewers branded ‘manipulative’

I’m A Celeb is approaching its grand finale this weekend, and in a surprising twist, McFly’s Danny Jones has been dethroned as the favourite to win. With the odds previously in his favour to become King of the Jungle, there’s been an unexpected shift in the betting world.

Ladbrokes’ latest figures show that Coleen Rooney is now tipped to take the crown. The bookmakers have slashed Coleen’s odds to a mere 10/11 for emerging as the Queen of the Jungle, surpassing Danny’s chances at 11/10. Meanwhile, Richard Coles has seen his odds plummet to a distant 16/1 after being pegged as a top contender, with all other contestants trailing behind at 20/1 or more.

Ladbrokes’ spokesperson Alex Apati commented: “Coleen is peaking at the perfect time in the I’m A Celeb betting, and for the first time since the series started, Danny is no longer favourite to go all the way.”

In a recent gripping challenge, Coleen required medical assistance when she encountered trouble with an insect lodged in her ear. Taking on the Arcade of Agony trial with Danny Jones, GK Barry, and Reverend Richard Coles, she faced an alarming predicament, reports OK!.

The challenge tasked the celebrities with manoeuvring a claw machine filled with orbs to retrieve tickets, which were essential for moving forward in the game.

Coleen has taken the lead with the highest odds to win I’m A Celeb 2024 (Image: James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

But to control the machine they had to dig out coins from a box swarming with fish offal, all under the pressure of a ticking 10-minute timer.

The race for the esteemed Cyclone challenge on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! heated up, as campmates writhed under a barrage of mealworms, crickets, and cockroaches in Friday’s trial. Coleen snagged a coin amidst the chaos but quickly ended up in a bind.

Post-trial, Coleen burst out complaining from her booth, “I’ve got one in my ear!” Medical assistance was promptly at her side and during their inspection, the creature took a flying leap, eliciting a shocked reaction from Ant who gasped: “Oh my god! It just jumped out!”

Danny Jones on I’m A Celeb (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Ant and Dec upped the ante by announcing that immunity from the forthcoming two eliminations was up for grabs along with entry into the Cyclone challenge, much to fans’ disapproval.

One particular fan posted online: “Not keen at all on this twist, all feels a bit manipulative!” while another vented frustration with: “#ImACeleb Why the hell have they mucked up the Cyclone this year? We, the viewers, want to choose the last 4 and who should be in the Cyclone!”

Another weighed in: “This is an epically bad idea. We get to decide who goes to Cyclone, not some rigged up arcade game with immunity”.