Nigel Farage has made his debut on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here by sticking his head through the window of a campervan filled with snakes.

The former Ukip and Brexit Party leader was introduced on the show saying: “I’m a hero to some people and an absolute villain to millions.

“In the jungle you’re going to find the real me. You might like me more, you might dislike me more, but you will at least find out.

“The best way to handle conflict is to tackle it head on. I dealt with snakes in the European Parliament, I can cope with this too.”

He is joined on the line-up of the ITV show by Jamie Lynn Spears, the sister of pop superstar Britney, This Morning host Josie Gibson, TV presenter Fred Sirieix and YouTuber Nella Rose.

Also in the mix this year is food critic Grace Dent, reality star Sam Thompson, JLS singer Marvin Humes, former EastEnders actress Danielle Harold and Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard.

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly opened the first episode of the new series of the programme saying: “Tonight the talking stops and the adventure begins… strap yourself in for the ride of your lives.”

After the opening credits the duo made a joke about Farage’s GB News show when they offered an apology to the channel’s viewers for the fact he will not be presenting his programme while he is away.

They said: “Sorry Keith, sorry Linda.”

Farage arrived in the Australian jungle in green chinos and a pink shirt.

He was joined by Gibson and Rose to complete tasks to win time for campmates taking part in other challenges on the Gold Coast, in their bid to win stars and food.

Farage and Rose decided to hunt for tokens inside a campervan full of snakes, unable to use their hands, while Gibson rummaged in murky barrels.

The trio earned six tokens between them, winning their fellow contestants six minutes of time.

Thompson, Harold, Sirieix and Dent arrived by helicopter on the top of a Gold Coast skyscraper and must climb down the side.

They will have to inch sideways along the building before sliding down to a horizontal flat pole, which they will crawl along in a race against the clock to unclip carabiniers to release their star print flag within the time won by the trio.

The remaining three campmates, Spears, Pickard and Humes, must skydive into a clearing before they enter the camp.