Noel Edmonds was invited to join I’m A Celebrity 2018 by Dec Donnelly

Noel Edmonds has revealed that he was recruited for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2018 by the show’s host, Dec Donnelly.

Noel arrived in the Australian jungle earlier this week in style as its brand new Emperor.

He is one of the biggest names ever to join the reality show – and is also reportedly the highest-paid contestant in its seventeen-year history.

If you’re wondering how ITV managed to land the telly legend, it turns out we have one of I’m A Celeb’s very own frontmen to thank.

Noel says it was Dec who asked him to take part – and his son who talked him in to it.

The former Deal or No Deal host explained: “It actually started as I was filming with Dec earlier in the year and he said ‘Ah, you should do the jungle’.

“Our 15-year-old son, Harrison, was there at the time and he said ‘It will be brilliant, you have got to do the jungle’.

“He put me under considerable pressure. The reason why I’m going to have this amazing experience is down to Harrison!”

He added: “I just love the idea that I’m going to live out in the natural environment.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about myself and meeting people I would never normally ever spend time with.”

Noel previously worked with Ant and Dec on the most recent series of Saturday Night Takeaway.

He appeared in the ‘Saturday Knight Takeaway’ comedy skits, which saw the Geordie favourites attempt to foil the evil Overlord.

At the end of the series that the mysterious villain was actually Noel, who jokingly accused Takeaway of being a rip-off of his hit 90s show House Party.

Ant is not involved with the new series of I’m A Celebrity due to his extended break from television.

Instead, Dec has a temporary replacement co-host in the duo’s close friend, Holly Willoughby.

Noel claims that he will retire from the spotlight if viewers vote him King of the Jungle.

I’m A Celebrity 2018 airs nightly on ITV, with spin-off show Extra Camp on ITV2.