With his track record of dating much younger women, it seems as though the decision of ITV bosses to put Nick Knowles in the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! jungle with actress Emily Atack was no accident.
It’s now been claimed that producers are hoping for a full-blown romance between the two to increase viewing figures, and the palpable spark between them indicates things may be going in the right direction.
Emily, 28, who played Charlotte ‘Big Jugs’ Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners, has already struck up a close friendship with 56-year-old DIY SOS host Nick, who’s previous lovers have included 34-year-old Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten and glamour model Pascal Craymer, 31.
The couple have enjoyed plenty of flirty moments so far – most recently, fans praised Nick for his ‘gentlemanly behaviour’ using his hat to swipe bugs of Emily’s back.
"They’ve had a couple of moments on-screen that producers thought was a good sign," a source told The Sun.
“They’re seeing how things develop. Nick has a type and Emily fits the bill. And she hasn’t minded a famous boyfriend in the past. Everyone is watching closely and hoping for a proper spark."
Having shot to fame in 2008 on the cult Channel 4 sitcome, Emily has gone on to date pop stars Harry Styles and Dougie Poynter, and appeared in her fair share of reality TV shows before being approached to take part in I’m a Celeb 2018.
I'm A Celebrity 2018 salaries - heat slider
1 of 12Swipe through to see what the cast of I'm A Celeb... 2018 could be earning
2 of 12Sair Khan
The Sun reports Coronation Street actress Sair Khan may have secured a £40,000 payment for her stay in the jungle.
3 of 12Anne Hegerty
The Chase star Anne Hegerty could take home between £60,000 to £80,000.
4 of 12Nick Knowles
It's thought TV presenter Nick Knowles has landed a big deal of around £200,000.
5 of 12Fleur East
Celeb PR Ed Hopkins told The Sun: "Negotiations appeared to go on for a while but I would think Fleur would have been offered between £50,000 and £70,000."
6 of 12James McVey
The Vamps star James McVey is thought to have secured a pay cheque of £40,000..
7 of 12John Barrowman
According to The Sun, a source revealed: "Bosses wanted him on the show for years so they'd have paid between £120,000 to £200,000 to get him on board."
8 of 12Malique Thompson-Dwyer
20-year-old Hollyoaks actor Malique Thompson-Dwyer may have only been paid about £15,000.
9 of 12Harry Redknapp
It was recently revealed that football manager Harry Redknapp is being paid £500,000 for his stint in the jungle.
10 of 12Emily Atack
According to The Sun, Emily's fee could be as low as £15,000 but sources think she will have been paid £40,000.
11 of 12Rita Simons
Celebrity PR Ed Hopkins told The Sun he believes EastEnders star Rita could be paid £80,000 to £100,000 for her three weeks in the jungle.
12 of 12Noel Edmonds
It was recently revealed that Noel Edmonds may be heading into the jungle this year and it's claimed he'll be the highest paid contestant ever at £600,000.
Conversely, Nick reportedly once told ex-girlfriend Pascal Craymer, who appeared on TOWIE, that he “hated reality TV”, amid a string of unsavoury allegations made by her during their whirlwind romance at the end of last year.
However, he’s already cemented himself as a fan favourite in the camp, with fans gushing over how well he’s coming across – not the mention that sexy shower scene.
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.
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