Pete Wicks leaves Heathrow for Australia to support best friend Sam Thompson on I’m A Celebrity… as his girlfriend Zara McDermott remains in the UK

Pete Wicks arrived at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 on Tuesday as he prepared to take his flight to Australia to greet Sam Thompson when he leaves the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle.

The TOWIE star, 35, will be the one who greets Sam, 31, at the end of the bridge when he leaves camp instead of the Made In Chelsea star’s girlfriend Zara McDermott. 

While some celebs will have their mother, father and partners waiting for them at the end of the bridge, Sam, 31, has chosen to have just his best friend fly to Australia.

Sam turned down the opportunity for his girlfriend Zara, 26, to greet him once he escapes the jungle despite her being voted off Strictly Come Dancing in time to make the flight.

Zara told Fleur East on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show: ‘When I left Strictly I was like ‘Shall I pack my case?’ and he went ‘Oh no it’s already been arranged Pete is coming’.’

Best pal: Pete Wicks arrived at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 on Tuesday as he prepared to take his flight to Australia to greet Sam Thompson when he leaves the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle

Jungle: The TOWIE star, 35, will be the one who greets Sam, 31, at the end of the bridge when he leaves camp instead of the Made In Chelsea star’s girlfriend Zara McDermott

Relationship: Sam turned down the opportunity for his girlfriend Zara, 26, to greet him once he escapes the jungle despite her being voted off Strictly Come Dancing in time to make the flight

She continued: ‘When I suggested maybe Pete and I could both go, he said, ‘No, just Pete!’ Maybe I can get Pete to take a cardboard cut-out of me … But you know what it’s fine, absolutely fine.

‘I’ve got all the time in the world to live with him and see him. If he wants Pete at the end of that bridge I respect and appreciate that – also I can’t wait to see that hug!’

Zara was the first former Love Island star to compete on Strictly Come Dancing , and she was eliminated in week six.

Her early elimination meant she was effectively at a loose end. At the same time, Sam, who had gambled on her still being in the competition, jetted off to Australia for his own reality TV adventure.

Speaking to breakfast hosts Fleur East and James Barr, he said: ‘When they asked [me to go into the jungle] I did think, if Zara was still on Strictly would I be a bad boyfriend if I went – but then decided I had to!’

This decision made him question whether he would even have a girlfriend by the end of the three-week competition.

He said: ‘As it turns out she’s tapping out of Strictly just as I’m tapping in.

‘But because I thought she would still be doing Strictly, Pete’s [Wicks] coming with me!’ he admitted.

Travel: Pete was dressed casually in a grey hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms for the trip

Casual: The reality star completed his look with a par of sunglasses and a grey bag

‘I don’t know if I’m going to have a girlfriend at the end of it…’

With a duffle bag in hand, Pete was pictured strolling through Heathrow Airport sporting an oversized grey hoodie, black tracksuit trousers and checked vans. 

But as the first jungle exit draws near, the cast’s loved ones have made the long journey Down Under to support them.

The first arrival at Brisbane airport on Tuesday morning was Nick Pickard’s girlfriend, Sarah Corrin.

Sarah, who has been in a relationship with Nick for several years, was in great spirits despite her long flight, beaming for the cameras as she pushed her luggage through arrivals.

She told MailOnline she had been begging family and friends to vote for the Hollyoaks actor for his first Bushtucker Trial.

It comes after Sam revealed he fears his relationship with Zara McDermott might not survive his time on I’m A Celeb: ‘I don’t know if I’m going to have a girlfriend at the end of it’

Partner: The first arrival at Brisbane airport on Tuesday morning was Nick Pickard’s girlfriend, Sarah Corrin 

‘I’ve still yet to see him do a Bushtucker Trial and all my friends and family are like, ‘What shall we do?’ And I keep saying, ‘Vote! Vote’ and people are like you’re not meant to vote him in but I think we are! I think he’d enjoy it,’ she said.

‘I’ve heard a lot of people say we’ve not seen enough of him on the screen,’ she added.

The 48-year-old is the longest-running soap actor on Hollyoaks – playing Tony Hutchinson for 28 years – but he is one of the only celebrities on this year’s show yet to have been voted in for a Bushtucker Trial.

Sarah said: ‘It’s nice people get to see the Nick part of him and not just Tony. But you haven’t seen all of him yet. I’ve wanted him to do it for years. 

‘He’s very competitive and a good team player so that’s why I’ve always said, out of all the things he could do, I’m A Celebrity would be a good one for him.’

The couple live together in Liverpool but their relationship has remained out of the public eye.

‘I’m really surprised I haven’t seen him have a hunger tantrum. He is the most positive upbeat person you’ll ever meet but don’t mess with him and his food.

‘When people are going off for the Trials he’s like ‘Don’t worry if you don’t get all the stars’ but I know on the inside he’s like inside, ‘You have to get all the stars’.’

Elimations: As the first jungle exit draws near, the cast’s loved ones have made the long journey Down Under to support them

Eager: She told MailOnline she has been begging family and friends to vote the Hollyoaks actor in for his first Bushtucker Trial

Excited: Sarah, who has been in a relationship with Nick for several years, was in great spirits despite her long flight

Sarah said: ‘I’ve still yet to see him do a Bushtucker Trial and all my friends and family are like, ‘What shall we do?’ And I keep saying, ‘Vote! Vote’

Sarah said: ‘It’s nice people get to see the Nick part of him and not just Tony. But you haven’t seen all of him yet. I’ve wanted him to do it for years’ (pictured together in 2022)

Family: Flying out to greet Danielle Harold were her mother Lisa Marie Carter, stepdad David Murray and friend Avinash Goury, who looked in high spirits as they arrived at Brisbane Airport 

Danielle’s family and friends were the second lot of loved ones to touch down in Australia 

Meanwhile, Grace Dent left the jungle after quitting the ITV show over the weekend.

During Monday’s episode of I’m A Celeb, Grace left her campmates in tears with a heartbreaking goodbye letter.

Fans had been left concerned for her after she had begun to look ‘scarily unwell’ during her time in the jungle – and it was announced she had quit the show for good earlier on Monday.

She left a farewell message for her emotional campmates in the form of a laminated letter, which was read aloud by a teary Nick.

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