AJ Pritchard addresses ‘tension’ with Shane Richie over ‘different standards’ of cleaning

He was voted out of the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! castle alongside Sir Mo Farah during Wednesday evening’s double elimination.

And AJ Pritchard appeared on Lorraine on Thursday morning where he addressed the ‘tensions’ between himself and campmate Shane Richie during the reality show.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, the ballroom dancer, 26, admitted that he and Shane, 56, had ‘two different standards’ for washing up the pans at the camp in Gwrych Castle, North Wales.

Argument: AJ Pritchard appeared on Lorraine on Thursday morning where he addressed the ‘tensions’ between himself and campmate Shane Richie during I’m A Celebrity

The tiff arose between the two contestants when AJ questioned all the campmates on who had washed the pans.

He later told the EastEnders actor, 56, that he had left them to soak in the pan that does the hot water, meaning they couldn’t be cleaned properly.

When Lorraine, 61, quizzed AJ about the incident, he admitted: ‘Yeah washing up, I am not going to lie, my pans and Shane’s pans were two different standards, but we all ate in the clean pans afterwards and that is all that matters!’

But he was quick to reiterate that all the campmates got on extremely well and described the twelve contestants as a ‘great bunch of people’ after his elimination.

Tensions: Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, the ballroom dancer, 26, admitted that he and Shane, 56, had 'two different standards' for washing up the pans

Tensions: Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, the ballroom dancer, 26, admitted that he and Shane, 56, had ‘two different standards’ for washing up the pans

The former Strictly dancer also addressed reports that he was given a dressing down from bosses after he tried to smuggle mouldy mushrooms from the Castle Coin Challenge to feed the hungry celebrities. 

The dancer allegedly got told off because he tried to smuggle mushrooms back to camp, but producers saw what he was up to when he was caught on camera.  

A source told The Sun: ‘AJ thought it would be funny to try and sneak some of the leftover veg, that would just go in the bin otherwise, back to camp. 

‘As part of the challenge they had very grim looking vegetables, including mushrooms, to feed the horse. But they’re all so hungry that even mouldy fruit and veg is appealing to them.

‘He had to come clean once he realised what he’d done had been picked up by cameras and microphones meaning he went back to the camp empty-handed.’

Telling off: The Strictly star addressed reports he was given a dressing down from bosses after he tried to smuggle mouldy mushrooms into camp, jokingly admitting he was 'desperate'

Telling off: The Strictly star addressed reports he was given a dressing down from bosses after he tried to smuggle mouldy mushrooms into camp, jokingly admitting he was ‘desperate’

AJ discussed the hilarious reports, jokingly admitting that he was ‘desperate’ and the ‘rotten’ mushroom had become ‘enlightening’ after their unusual dinner rations.

He continued: ‘When you read out the dinner menu and you can’t pronounce or even understand what any of the vegetables are, let alone the fruit, and let alone the meat half the time! 

‘When you hear and see a mushroom in a challenge even if it may be rotten, it becomes more enlightening in your eyes. Desperate times, desperate measures!’

AJ has also received tragic news since exiting the camp, as his grandmother Angela passed away last Friday aged 93 following a battle with dementia.

The TV star was not told of her passing while he was in the castle and first learnt of the devastating news after his elimination on Wednesday night.

Tragic: AJ has received tragic news since exiting the camp, as his grandmother Angela passed away last Friday aged 93 following a battle with dementia

Tragic: AJ has received tragic news since exiting the camp, as his grandmother Angela passed away last Friday aged 93 following a battle with dementia 

Briefly addressing the news, he sadly told Lorraine: ‘Yeah thank you very much for your concern Lorraine. As a family we are very strong.’

But as well as discussing his struggles in the camp, AJ also gushed that he has formed an unlikely ‘bromance’ with Sir Mo Farah.

He told Lorraine that he has already made plans to head round to the Olympic runner’s house for dinner, excitedly adding that Mo, 37, plans to cook for him.

He said: ‘We have already booked in dinner I think tomorrow to go to his house and he says he is going to be cooking for me. So I’m sure some of his rice will be on the menu.’

He continued: ‘From watching someone who brought the whole nation together in 2012 like Sir Mo Farah, to now thinking that I am going to his house to have dinner – and doing a trial with a knight in a castle, listening to him behind me squealing like a girl – was just the most surreal moment but just the most awesome thing.’ 

And another of his closest bonds in the camp came with Giovanna Fletcher, who he revealed he ‘loves’ as he affectionately called her ‘momma G’. 

AJ said that the author, 35, who is now the last woman in the camp, is a ‘real hard worker’ and is the one who has held ‘the camp together’.

He explained: ‘Oh I love her, momma G, Giovanna. She has done so well, she holds the camp together and she is a real hard worker. 

Friends: AJ gushed that he has formed an unlikely 'bromance' with Sir Mo Farah and has already made plans to head round to the Olympic runner's house for dinner

Friends: AJ gushed that he has formed an unlikely ‘bromance’ with Sir Mo Farah and has already made plans to head round to the Olympic runner’s house for dinner

‘The other day, the guys were around and she went and got all the wood from the wood drop on her own and she wouldn’t even let me try and light the fire with her. 

‘We literally ran around the whole area to get the flint off her and she said “no I refuse to be beaten by this flint”. She was there for half an hour, but she got fire in the end. 

‘She feels like a true fire-starter now.’

The remaining four celebrities – Giovanna Fletcher, Jordan North, 30, Vernon Kay, 46, and Shane Richie – are now battling it out for a place in Friday’s finale.

I’m A Celebrity continues weekdays on ITV at 9pm.