My only goal in jungle was to make my son proud, I grew up without my dad, says I’m A Celeb star Babatúndé Aléshé
BABATÚNDÉ Aléshé has revealed that he desperately wanted to make his six-year-old son proud while starring on the show, telling The Sun: “I didn’t grow up with my dad so I never got taught the things that I believe a dad should teach their children about life.”
Describing how he wanted to be a role model to his little boy Judah after his own dad passed away, the I’m A Celebrity star said: “I can definitely take this experience and teach my son about stepping into the unknown and being comfortable with it.”
Babatúndé, 36, who is best known for starring alongside fellow comedian Mo Gilligan, 34, on Celebrity Gogglebox, became the fifth star to be evicted on Wednesday night’s show after lasting 19 days in the jungle Down Under.
And in his first interview since leaving the camp, Babatúndé said he did consider quitting the show by saying, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, but wanted to prove to his son, who he shares with his wife Leonie, that he could conquer his fears.
He said: “There were many low moments. I learnt that I have the capacity to endure and keep going because I never gave up and there were times where I could have really just said, ‘let me leave the jungle’, and come back home to be with my family.
“But I just didn’t give up and every day was an achievement for me. Every day waking up in the jungle I was happy that I never said I’m out. I learnt that I’m braver than I gave myself credit for.”
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Being of Nigerian heritage and growing up in Tottenham, North London, Babatúndé revealed how he is “grateful” to the public for accepting him for who he is.
The comic said: “I was always comfortable with my race, my culture, and my upbringing but I never felt like other people were, so I was uncomfortable in that respect.
“I have always loved who I am for my experiences and growing up in Tottenham wasn’t easy. I saw a lot of bad things but I love the fact that I’m from a place like that.
“Being Nigerian and black I have always loved it but I just wasn’t sure if everybody else did.
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“Yet being on a show like I’m A Celeb and also Gogglebox has shown me that people like me for me and so I don’t need to hide who I am and I’m grateful for that because I never thought that would be possible.”
Following the jungle, the comedian, who has already sold out nine dates of his Babahood tour next year, said he hopes to carve out a career as a presenter.
“There is an art and a skill to it and I don’t think I have it,” he said. “So I need to learn or I can learn on the job.”
He continued: “I’m grateful to the British public for embracing me.
“I never thought that would be possible at all because it was only two years ago I was working behind a desk.
“Being in the position I am now, I take everything as an achievement.”
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