The glitter of the Australian outback has dimmed for former England Lioness Alex Scott, who became the shocking first casualty of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!‘s 2025 series on November 30. At 41, the broadcaster and ex-footballer—whose poised punditry has made her a staple on BBC’s football coverage—entered the jungle with sky-high expectations, only to be ousted in a public vote that left fans reeling and social media ablaze. Exempted from the chopping block after comedian Eddie Kadi clinched a live trial victory, Scott faced the nation’s mercy alone, sparking cries of “robbed” from supporters who pegged her as a frontrunner for her grit and grace. In a raw post-eviction debrief with iconic hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Scott finally unleashed her truth: the show’s underbelly is a “mentally tough” pressure cooker of alliances, mind games, and unspoken rules that test even the toughest souls. As the series barrels toward its December 9 finale—viewership already up 15% on last year’s opener—this early exit isn’t just a plot twist; it’s a wake-up call on the strategic savagery lurking beneath the camp’s camaraderie.

For newcomers to the I’m a Celeb frenzy, the ITV juggernaut—now in its 25th UK iteration since 2002—drops 12 celebrities into the wilds of Gwrych Castle (or, in non-pandemic years, the Aussie bush) for bushtucker trials, basic rations, and nightly evictions. Hosted by the unbreakable Ant and Dec since day one, the format blends survival schlock with celebrity soul-baring, pulling in 12 million viewers per episode. Scott, a trailblazing figure who captained Arsenal Ladies to multiple titles and represented England 140 times, joined a eclectic 2025 lineup: ex-England cricketer Stuart Broad, Coronation Street siren Helen Flanagan, comedian Eddie Kadi, Love Island alum Ovie Soko, The Chase‘s Anne Hegerty, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Baga Chipz, chef Michel Roux Jr., pop princess Tulisa, EastEnders hunk Danny Dyer, reality maven Shona McGarty, and Doctor Who‘s Jodie Whittaker. Billed as the “diverse dream team,” the camp promised fireworks, but Scott’s swift departure—after just seven days—has fans dissecting every Dingo Dollar dilemma and trial triumph.

The eviction played out like a Greek tragedy under the studio lights. As Kadi basked in immunity, Scott’s name flashed on the big screen, met with audible gasps from her campmates. Broad, her closest ally, enveloped her in a bear hug, whispering, “You’ve been a rock, mate.” Flanagan teared up, while Dyer cracked a cheeky, “Don’t let the bugs win, love.” Emerging on the iconic exit bridge—flanked by pyrotechnics and a cheering crowd—Scott locked eyes with her waiting friend and fellow sports broadcaster Regan Coleman, who enveloped her in a squeal-filled embrace. But the real waterworks? From girlfriend Jess Glynne, the soulful singer whose Instagram post lit up timelines: “My woman is a true trailblazer… so proud of everything you are. Miss you so much ❤️.” Their romance, ignited in 2023 at London’s Chiltern Firehouse with an “instant spark,” has been a tabloid favorite—Glynne’s sultry support during Scott’s BBC gigs a constant. In a jungle confessional that tugged heartstrings, Scott had spilled to camp confidantes about yearning for a proposal from Jess during the show. Glynne’s reply? A playful clapback: “I guess I’d better go get a ring.” Fans are already shipping a festive engagement, with #AlexAndJessWedding trending alongside eviction outrage.

Yet amid the romance glow, Scott’s interview peeled back the glamour, painting a vivid portrait of jungle life as a psychological gauntlet. “It was mentally tough, no doubt—pressurised in ways you can’t prep for,” she told Ant and Dec, her voice steady but eyes betraying the toll. The trials? Child’s play compared to the “constant head games” of camp politics. “There’s laughter, bonding over beans on toast, but also this strategic undercurrent—people forming alliances, playing dramatic tactics to stay in,” Scott revealed, her tone laced with wry wisdom. She admitted steering clear of the “unwritten rules,” like stirring pots for screen time or feigning feuds. “I came to connect, not compete in the drama Olympics,” she quipped, a subtle nod to housemates who’d embraced the game’s cutthroat chess. Insiders buzz that her authenticity—sharing unfiltered tales of breaking barriers in male-dominated sports media—won hearts but cost votes; in a popularity contest, vulnerability can be a vulnerability.

Lightening the load, Scott dished on camp quirks with her trademark humor. The infamous salt heist? “I smuggled packets in my sock—Jack [Grealish? Wait, no—campmate Jack Whitehall, the cheeky host-turned-contestant] sprinkled some in the rice, and we all knew, but who cares?” she laughed, mimicking a clandestine handover. Hardships hit harder: “The toilets… oh god, the smell. And someone always leaving the seat up—but hey, they’re a national treasure, so forgiven.” Fans speculate the culprit: Dyer’s blokey banter or Broad’s cricketing nonchalance? Either way, it humanized the hellhole, turning gripes into gold. Scott’s trial stints—facing “Viper Vault” with its snake-filled sarcophagus—earned her 10 stars, but she shrugged off the glory: “Proud, but it’s the mateship that sticks.”

Her eviction oracle? Unwavering: Shona McGarty, the EastEnders export who’s blossomed from bubbly to badass. “Shona needs this confidence boost—she’s grown so much in there,” Scott predicted, praising the actress’s quiet resilience amid the chaos. McGarty, 29, entered post-Corrie Flanagan as the soapie wildcard, her tearful trial terrors morphing into triumphant team talks. With Whittaker’s Whovian wit and Roux’s culinary clout keeping camp afloat, Shona’s arc screams winner—echoing past triumphs like Giovanna Fletcher’s 2020 crown. But Scott’s shoutout underscores her ethos: uplift over undercut.

The backlash has been biblical. “Alex Scott being the first out is heartbreaking—how?!” wailed one viewer on X, racking 12K likes. “She deserved better—ITV rigged?” another fumed, fueling conspiracy threads about “fix” votes favoring flashier faces. Hashtags #JusticeForAlex and #BringBackAlex surged, with petitions circling 50K signatures by December 1. Broad’s post-eviction plea—”Vote smart, folks; Alex was class”—amplified the din, while Glynne’s tribute concert plug slyly shaded the snub. Critics, though, applaud the shake-up: The Mirror hailed Scott’s candor as “refreshing realism,” contrasting the show’s scripted spats. In a year when I’m a Celeb faced flak for “woke-washing” its lineup—Scott as the diversity darling—her exit flips the narrative, proving merit trumps optics.

Scott’s jungle jaunt ties into her broader battles. As a Black woman in broadcasting, she’s long championed “earning her place” over tokenism, a mantra she echoed in camp chats on sports equity. “I want opportunities on merit, not as the ‘diversity hire’—that’s the real win,” she told Dyer over dinner duties, footage that’s since gone viral for its fire. Her Lioness legacy—World Cup heartbreaks turned triumphs—mirrors this: from 2019’s semi-final agony to 2022 Euros glory under Sarina Wiegman. Post-jungle, Scott’s eyeing a memoir sequel to 2022’s Unstoppable, blending boot-room banter with boardroom breakthroughs. Glynne’s ring tease? Fuel for a 2026 wedding watch, with odds at 3/1 per bookies.

As I’m a Celeb 2025 ramps up—next eviction looming December 3—Scott’s saga lingers like campfire smoke. Her truth bomb on the “mentally tough” machinations? A reminder that survival’s as much mind as muscle. Fans, dry those eyes: Alex didn’t lose; she leveled up, emerging fiercer, funnier, and finally free. With Shona tipped to torch the competition, the jungle’s just heating up. Tune in, vote wisely, and remember: in the outback of ambition, authenticity is the ultimate bush tucker.