Dean Gaffney reveals he gained a STONE on I’m A Celebrity South Africa

It’s the show where the famous “jungle diet” has led many stars to shed the pounds.

But Dean Gaffney has revealed that he won a stone competing on I’m A Celebrity South Africa after “eating like a king” due to his success in the trials.

The former EastEnders star, 51, was eliminated from the show along with Helen Flanagan on Wednesday, just two days before the final.

And in an appearance on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, Dean admitted that when he filmed I’m A Celebrity last year, he left the jungle heavier than when he entered it.

It’s a stark contrast to many of the show’s stars, who use the series’ strict rice and bean diet to slim down, with many a stone lighter by the time they’re voted out.

Transformation: Dean Gaffney (left on Thursday) revealed he won a rock while competing on I’m A Celebrity South Africa (right)

Away! The former EastEnders star was eliminated from the show along with Helen Flanagan on Wednesday, just two days before the final

Dean, who originally competed on I’m A Celebrity in 2006, told Susanna Reid and Adil Ray, “It’s a great honor to have been asked back.

“I think about 300 people have passed through the camp in the last 22 years, and to be asked back as one of 15 was actually a great honor.”

He confessed to his surprising weight gain in camp, adding: “This is true because we kept winning, it was brilliant!

“For me it was an absolute breeze going into the camp, I went in there for six, seven days, I ate like a king and it was fun!

“That’s the problem in the camp, people are dropping out. When I was in the original camp, with David Gest, have his soul, I lost two stones and now I’ve almost added one!’

Asked about his biggest challenge while in the jungle, Dean added, “The worst thing for me was not having a mirror, something stupid like a mirror.

“You wake up in the morning, we all have bedheads, and you wake up and you think, ‘Ah, what do I look like?’ You can’t see!”

‘May I clarify that I did shower every day, twice a day. They recently said on the show that “it was my first shower in five days.”

Mildness! And in an appearance on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, Dean admitted that when he filmed I’m A Celebrity last year, he left the jungle heavier than when he entered it

Eat up! “That’s the problem in the camp, people are dropping out. When I was in the original camp, with David Gest, have his soul, I lost two stones and now I’ve almost added one!’ he said

Blast from the past! Dean is best known for his role as Robbie in EastEnders (pictured in 1999)

Dean added that he also became close to Joe Swash while in the jungle as they both started the series together as late arrivals.

He admitted that the actor struggled to be away from wife Stacey Solomon and their children.

‘I think for Joe in his own words, [he] actually said that when he was on the show [the first time] he was kind of a cheeky chappy single guy and now he has a family to take care of,” he said.

And he missed his wife, he missed Stacey, missed the kids. It was great to be there with Joe, he’s actually become one of my very good friends.’

Dean and Helen say goodbye to I’m A Celebrity on Wednesday’s episode after finishing last in the final survival trial.

Helen said as she left, ‘I’ve had the time of my life. I just had the best time. I am so grateful. I knew I would be bad at the challenge.”

Dean added, “Hopefully I did better than last time. I’m definitely going home heavier than I arrived with all the picnics, that’s for sure! You know what I did. I haven’t laughed so much in years.’

Going home: Dean and Helen say goodbye to I’m A Celebrity on Wednesday’s episode after finishing last in the final survival trial

Fans were once again sad about who left when they took to social media as the episode aired.

One of them said, ‘Helen Flanagan may be out, but she’s the real winner of I’m A Celeb South Africa. She’s come so far since her original appearance on the show, earning the title of I’m A Celebrity legend. #ImACeleb.’

Another said: ‘All the best people have left. I’m a celebrity now, none of them are legends left there #ImACeleb.”

A third wrote, “Helen’s redemption arc was one of the few things I’m worth, I’m a celeb legend!” Also we lost dean, this ep didn’t start well #ImACeleb.”

I’m A Celebrity: South Africa continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.