The TV presenter, 48, and the EastEnders actor, 58, appeared in the 2020 version of the ITV juggernaut series, which was filmed in a Welsh castle due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Giovanna Fletcher, 37, was eventually crowned Queen of the Jungle in the programme, with Vernon and Shane coming in third and fourth place respectively.
The former T4 host reflected on his stint on the show, hosted by Ant and Dec, on Wednesday’s instalment of Nick Grimshaw, 38, and chef Angela Harnett’s, 54, podcast, Dish.
Describing his experience as ‘bonkers’ and ‘nuts’, Vernon said ultimately he had the ‘best time’ as he was able to totally switch off, enjoy the Welsh countryside and ‘do nothing for five weeks.’
However, the former Radio 1 presenter also let slip that he and Shane managed to sneak in a burner phone, which wasn’t noticed by the I’m A Celebrity producers.
Vernon explained: ‘I knew Shane Richie was doing it. I said to him beforehand, “Look they’re gonna take all our stuff off us, your laptop, your phone, take a burner and then we can keep in touch.”
‘So we both had these manky burner phones. It was like The Wire. We kind of kept in communication up to the very last day, which was quite a revelation.’
Vernon, who shares daughters Phoebe, 18, and Amber, 13, with wife Tess Daly, 53, said he wanted to keep in touch with his family while he was on the show.
He continued: ‘Having five days of no communication. I need to speak to the kids. I need to speak to Tess and make sure everything’s alright.
‘And not only me but to make sure they’re prepared for what’s going to happen because it’s a big thing being in I’m A Celebrity.’
I’m A Celebrity isn’t Vernon’s only reality TV appearance in recent years, having belted his heart out as Koala in The Masked Singer/I’m A Celebrity crossover special.
After wowing judges Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Rita Ora and the studio audience with his rendition of Take That’s Could It Be Magic and Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream, the former Family Fortunes frontman won the competition.
‘Who knew you couldn’t sing,’ enthused Jonathan at the time.
Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment.
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