Carol Thatcher crowned queen of the jungle

Carol Thatcher entered the jungle insisting that, unlike her mother, she was no Iron Lady.

But the former British prime minister’s daughter has turned out to be exactly that.

Carol, 52, entered the ITV reality show as a 33-1 outsider to win the crown.

She made an unpromising start – throwing up on herself during a 12,000ft skydive into the jungle.

The eccentric blonde first made headlines when she was caught on infrared camera relieving herself next to her camp bed, instead of going to the camp toilet.

Ten million viewers saw her pull down her knickers and squat on the floor next to her hammock.

But she went on to display a will of steel, earning the nickname Action Thatch.

Carol retained her good humour throughout, even while eating kangaroo testicles and fish eyes.

She joked to Ant and Dec that “apparently they are better with balsamic vinegar”.

After swimming across a lake with poisonous frogs, snakes and furry bushrats on her head, she offered to repeat the challenge in order to win pudding for fellow campers.

Carol has endeared herself to viewers, and the other contestants, by showing a warm and affectionate streak as well as a have-a-go attitude.

She has described the reality show experience as “life-enhancing”, saying “I shall remember the people more than anything else”.

“I’ll treasure happy memories of co-operation, kindness, good humour, banter and so on,” she said. “I shall definitely remember eating a squelching kangaroo testicle.”

The broadcaster and journalist, who has lived in Australia before, proved to be fearsome and determined despite insisting she would be nothing like her mother.

“I promise I won’t be the Iron Lady Junior which, with my genes, some people might be surprised about,” she said before entering the jungle.

“You’ll get no party political broadcasts from me and I’m more than happy to be bossed around rather than be bossy.”

Baroness Thatcher is reported to have made a point of not watching the programme.

Carol, who read law and qualified as a solicitor before switching to journalism, did not give away any major secrets about her mother.

She had not told her that she was going on the show, for which she is thought to have earned a £40,000 fee just for appearing.

Anticipating the end of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! Today, she told her fellow campers: “I’ve got no one I particularly want to talk to.

“I left my mother’s home phone number behind so I don’t even know her number.

“She doesn’t know I’m here so she won’t notice. I’m more interested in switching on the news.”