Ajay Rochester’s time on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Australia has come to an end, with the star becoming the first person eliminated from the South African jungle.
After 10 days on the show, Ajay bid an emotional farewell to her camp mates in Tuesday night’s episode.
We caught up with Ajay, 49, to find out how she enjoyed her time on the show, her thoughts on the other contestants and reuniting with her son Kai.
TV WEEK: You’re a long-time fan of the show and you’ve wanted to be on it for a while. Did it live up to the hype?
Ajay: Well, funnily enough because Justin was so busy doing all the challenges and bringing back our food every day, none of us really got to go out there and do much. So it was a little like a holiday, we really did relax. So it’s kind of like wait! Ripped off!
Ajay is the first person eliminated from I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Are you a little disappointed to be going home, because you didn’t get to do more of the challenges?
Yeah one hundred percent. Look, no one wants to eat any of those horrible things but a weird part of you does want to just to see if you could bring it. Could I really eat an impala butt?
When you left last night you said you’d made friends for life, is that how you feel still? Did you form some real bonds in there?
Oh yeah, obviously there’s 13 people and I won’t keep in touch with all of them but there’s a good core group of people that I would. You know, Luke’s made lunch dates with all of us wherever we are. Jacqui whispered her email to me as I walked out the door, there was no way I was going to get out of her grasps and I don’t want to. We had a beautiful ‘womance’. I love her to death, she just cares so passionately.
On the other end – is there anyone in the jungle that you’d happily never see again?
You know what they’re all actually lovely! I’d probably only see Justin in limited amounts, and probably only on Instagram. But there’s not a horrible person in there.
Ajay is saying goodbye to the show.
What are your thoughts on the jungle ‘romance’ between Angie and Justin?
There’s NOTHING there! She is not his type, because we went through his wish list and the person doesn’t exist. Honestly. His perfect woman is Angelina Jolie and he wants the success, the fame, the money, he wants everything AND she has to be able to put up with him which is a whole other thing.
But Angie – she’s super pretty, yes – but she’s also very deep and very humble and very caring and he is not anything like the kind of person she would go out with, you know? She doesn’t really have a great deal of time for people who spend all day looking in the mirror.
Angie and Justin have been the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ pair of the season.
You opened up a lot in the jungle about a few different major moments in your life. Do you have any regrets? Is there anything you wish you said less – or more – of?
(Laughs) Yeah might not have talked about the nine year drought! It’s funny, you do forget [about the cameras]. It’s hard to explain but there are thirteen people in there, and there are different conversations going on around you, and sometimes there is so much going on that you think you’re not being heard. You forget that it’s a little like The Truman Show and everyone is listening to you. So yeah, that was probably the only thing I said not thinking ‘oh they’re going to play this.’
I knew I wasn’t going to get out of there without talking about Michelle Bridges everyone from day one was asking me about it. Same with my court case. There were things that I was just ready to be open about.
Based on some of the things you said in the jungle, it seems you’ve had a few negative TV experiences. Now that you’ve had a more positive experience on this show would you be keen to return to Australia and try out a new show?
I would love to be back in Australia. I mean, it’s my home! It’s where my son Kai is, it’s where my friends are, I would love more than anything to be working in Australia. LA is so full of shallow people. If that opportunity came up I’d go in a heartbeat.
Have you been able to chat to Kai and see what he thought of the show?
I did, he was very proud of me and he just wants me to come home. I don’t think he cares about anything other than spending time together – I’m going to give him the biggest hug. I can’t wait to see him.
Ajay is sad to say goodbye to the show.
I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! airs Sunday to Thursday, 7:30pm, on Channel 10.
