All it took was Kris Smith to appear on I’m a Celeb, Get Me Out of Here to decidedly break out of ex-Dannii Minogue’s shadow.
He quickly won Australia over, in part because of his candid revelation he was a victim of domestic violence and passion for his nominated charity White Ribbon Australia.
“I chose White Ribbon because it struck such a chord with me,” the model told Now To Love.
“Simone’s story especially, it made my blood boil.”
Simone O’Brien was brutally attacked by her husband in 2012 and only survived because her neighbour held her skull together while her eldest daughter called the ambulance.
“When she told me what her husband had done all I could think about is what I would do to him or what I would do in that situation,” the 39-year-old explained. “Any story that could make me react like that, I just couldn’t ignore it – I had to support them.”
Now, Kris is helping Oxfam Gift Hub at Broadway Shopping Centre raise awareness and funds for poor communities over Christmas.
Oxfam’s work to eradicate poverty is intrinsically linked to gender equality and women’s rights and Kris says it’s the “pivotal, front and foremost” reason he’s supporting the charity. The former rugby player will be wrapping presents customers can donate starting at just $10.
“The fact you can change lives with $10 and what’s that? Just two coffees? It’s nothing to us but can make such a huge difference.”
Oxfam is adamant to tackle poverty we can’t just put a Band-Aid on the issue, we need to be addressing the root causes of poverty, and Kris says this initiative I doing exactly that.
“The drive is fantastic because it proves people aren’t asking for a hand out. People from South Africa and India are making stuff themselves. They’re showing they don’t want to just take, take, take,” he explained.
“They just want to be paid for things they’ve made and there’s no child slavery which is phenomenal.”
The Gift Hub is a partnership between Broadway Sydney and Oxfam featuring three exclusive gifts made by struggling global communities, including sock monkeys, chocolate and material scarfs, and Kris will be wrapping them for you this Saturday.
Will Kris do another reality show?
The Myer model isn’t sure about starring on another reality show, saying “it would have to be the right fit for the right reasons”.
Any interested producers should probably go through his son Ethan, 7, first before pitching him though.
“The reason I actually did Get Me Out of Here was because of Ethan. We were in the car one day and he said, ‘Dad what’s your favourite TV show?’ and I said ‘I don’t really have one mate, what’s yours?’
“‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!’ and my ears pricked up because I’d already been approached and I said, ‘Why’s that?’
“‘Because they have to eat spiders!’
“I suggested his mum do it but he said, ‘She won’t do it, but you should!” so I was on the phone straight away to my management and ended up there,” he laughed.
Is he going to be The Bachelor Australia 2018?
It’s safe to say Kris Smith is categorically rejecting any reports he’ll be Australia’s next Bachelor.
“It’s just so weird that it keeps coming up! Even the first time someone came up to me and asked I was so surprised and they said ‘we’ve got good sources’ and I said ‘you guys always have good sources though don’t you?'” he told Now To Love.
“I’ve never been approached about it; even after all the articles on it.”
It shouldn’t even be a question considering the loved up pics of him and girlfriend Sarah Boulazeris plastered on social media.
“Luckily, Sarah’s extremely confident and isn’t worried by it. It’s never even been a conversation between us.
“She trusts that I wouldn’t ever do that and it isn’t given any airtime in our house.”
Catch Kris at Broadway Sydney the shopping centre from 11:30 – 12:30 Saturday 16th December for you chance to donate.
