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‘I’m A Celebrity’ Eliminee Maria Spills On Her Relationship Status With Joey

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Former Miss Universe contestant Maria Thattil became the latest celeb to be catapulted to an early eviction on Sunday night’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 

During her time in the jungle, romance blossomed between Maria and UK import Joey Essex, giving I’m A Celebrity viewers what they so desperately crave: some love in the jungle! We spoke to Maria following her elimination and asked her what her first impressions of Joey were. “I had no idea who he was. I was overwhelmed, as I was terrified in that challenge where Emily [Seebohm] rescued him. I was generally uneasy and then this attractive man rolls out of a tunnel covered in cockroaches. It was a lot, right?”

As time went on, Maria and Joey developed a close bond that included a secret kiss under the sleeping bag covers. “He was funny and he was very charming. We had a really good chemistry between us. I liked it, but I was overwhelmed because I get shy around people I consider attractive. It was a cocktail of emotions!”

When asked whether she would label what her and Joey were doing as dating, Maria asked “What is dating casually in the jungle?” She continued, “Obviously, we were the ones who were coupled up, we had a few dates and spent a lot of time together. In the context of that show, he was one of my people — it was really nice!” she told Punkee.

“You can’t exactly go to nice Italian restaurant and eat a good meal, so I guess hanging around on a blow-up floatie in a pool — that will do! It’s not the kind of environment where he can pick me up at 7pm and buy some flowers! He could get me a twig and we meet at the waterfall shower.”

So what has become of Moey (or Jaria?!) since filming wrapped? “Joey and I are still in touch. We’re good friends,” Maria confirmed. “We have a lot of respect for each other and the memories are always going to be fond. It’s difficult when you live on the other side of the world. I think it’s beautiful that we can accept that this is something special we shared while we were in there and not everything is a forever thing. But we are friends and I’m excited to see him at the finale.”

Joey shared similar sentiments when we spoke to him last week. “She’s in Australia and I’m in Essex, so it’s quite difficult,” he told us. “I don’t think you could get any longer distance than this relationship — she’s on the other side of the world!”

Along with Joey, Maria listed David Subritzky as one of her closest confidants in the jungle, saying they had a “brother/sister sibling dynamic”. Upon Maria’s departure on last night’s episode, David was visibly distressed.

“We did everything together,” Maria told us. “This might be a bit TMI, but I actually had my period in the jungle and it lasted for like 12 days. But I was too scared to go to the toilet by myself as there was a huntsman in there, so David would come with me as I was too scared to change a tampon by myself. That was the extent of our love for each other!” she said.

“It does not get more best friend than that!” She’s not wrong!

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I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! returns tonight at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.