YouTuber WillNE reveals how he tricked the press into thinking he was entering ‘I’m a Celebrity’

Matt Porter

YouTuber Will ‘WillNE’ Lenney has revealed how he tricked the British press into thinking that he would be appearing on the 2018 series of reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

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The show, which is broadcast in the UK, features 10 celebrities flying out to the Australian jungle where they complete challenges and trials as they attempt to be voted as the winner by the British public.

There is always massive interest in who will be entering the reality survival show, and this year YouTuber WillNE decided to try and make the press report that he was going to be a contestant – a move Lenney claims was in response to the treatment of fellow YouTuber Joe ‘ThatcherJoe’ Sugg, who is appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, by media outlets.

ITVWillNE’s fake photoshoot alongside actress Emily Atack’s real I’m a Celebrity portrait.
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The YouTuber came up with the idea just over a week before the official contestants were announced, so had to move quickly, heading out to the shops to buy the red fleece, khaki pants and navy t-shirt that celebrities are normally dressed in for their I’m a Celebrity press photos.

Armed with his new gear, WillNE brought in a friend to shoot his “official” press shots, photoshopping in a jungle background, and even using a houseplant to provide the effects of some jungle leaves.

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Calling on the help of fellow YouTuber Niko Omilana, the pair began to release the pictures on popular social media accounts like The Bread Batch, creating enough buzz that press began to pick up the story and post it online.

Not content with this, Lenney realized that celebrities had already started flying out to Australia, so headed to the airport with a suitcase for a few more snaps, posting them on social media to help convince people of his story.

Unfortunately for Will, ITV finally announced the full cast by video, meaning for him, the jig was up.

WillNE can be proud of his incredible prank, but if he does ever get an invite to the show , we’re not sure anyone will actually believe him. You can find out more about the lengths he went to in the video above.

About The Author

Matt is a former Dexerto writer. Hailing from Northern Ireland, he is games journalist who specializes in Call of Duty. Matt joined Dexerto in August 2018, covering a variety of games as a Senior Writer before moving to CharlieINTEL in 2020.