Mallet shows his metal in jungle trial

ENTERTAINER Timmy Mallett triumphed in the jungle after being stuffed inside a coffin and covered with thousands of live insects.

The madcap presenter laughed off the much-feared bushtucker trial on the I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! programme to earn much-needed food supplies for his camp mates.

Mallett, who rose to fame as a children’s TV presenter in the 1980s, merely donned an extra pair of underpants to take on the heaving mass of cockroaches, grubs, worms and other assorted creepy crawlies that were poured on top of him.

Mallett successfully removed 12 stars from inside the coffin to earn the food supplies that included a leg of boar.

The wily former Radio Luxembourg DJ then gave show hosts Ant and Dec a taste of their own medicine by hugging the pair immediately after completing his challenge, showering them in bugs.

The triumphant Mallett said of his brush with the insects: “Utterly, utterly brilliant, I’m just so happy, thanks so much.”

Mallett was greeted like a hero when he returned to the camp as he was mobbed by the other celebrities.

Tears are never far from being spilled on the ITV show and the contestants were soon brawling about how Mallett’s meat feast should be cooked.