Sam Thaiday beat out reality TV icons Reggie Bird and Matty ‘J’ Johnson to be crowned King of the Jungle in the I’m a Celebrity Australia 2025 finale.
During a post-win interview, Sam told Chattr that he was shocked to score the win and revealed that he thought Big Brother’s Reggie had it in the bag.
“It was a massive blindside. I thought Reggie [would win],” he told Chattr. “Reggie is the reality Queen when it comes to this style of show.”
“From the moment I knew and saw Reggie on the rock at the start, and I helped her down to the platform, I just thought, ‘Yep, she’s she’s top three for sure.'”
Sam said that throughout his life, he’s been pigeonholed. He believes that his journey on I’m a Celebrity allowed people to see a different side of him, which resonated with the audience.
“People know me from playing rugby league, and maybe that’s why I surprised a few people; because I have a lot more strings in my bow than just being a footballer,” he explained.
“And that’s one of the reasons why I really wanted to go on the show because for a long, long time I have been labelled a bit of a beefhead. But there’s a lot more to me, and there always has been.
“People in the rugby league circles, that inner sanctum, would be able to tell you that I’ve always been the funny, light-hearted bloke. But when I have my footy boots on, and I cross that white line, I turn into a raging beast on the field. So, it was really nice to show Australia a different side of me.”
How did Sam Thaiday celebrate his I’m a Celebrity 2025 win?
Rather than spending a night celebrating his triumph with champagne and cheeseburgers, Sam jumped on the first flight home with his family.
“I left Australia on the ninth of January, so I just wanted to get home,” he explained.
Sam told Chattr that having the opportunity to see his two daughters watch him win I’m a Celebrity Australia 2025 was celebration enough.
“It was really, really nice to get a big squeeze from both the girls afterwards, just sitting there and debriefing with Rach (his wife) and the girls; there was something cathartic about it,” he said.
“I was so happy to celebrate it with them because they also had to sacrifice in me being over there, and Rachel had to keep the house running in Sydney — which she referred to as her own Viper Den sometimes. But I was so pumped to be able to share that fantastic moment.”
Sam’s personal connection to his charity Find Ya Feet
Sam chose Find Ya Feet as his charity on I’m A Celebrity, which supports young men’s mental health. As well as raising awareness about the organisation, the rugby league player won a $100,000 cash prize for the charity.
Sam, who is of Torres Strait Islander descent, explained to Chattr that he struggled with suicidal thoughts when he was younger and wished that there was a charity like Find Ya Feet to help him at the time.
“As a young kid, I really struggled myself with a lack of identity, not knowing who I was, coming from a mixed-race family.
“I had some suicidal thoughts as a young boy as well, and then I lost a good mate in 2007 to suicide. So I wanted to support a charity that supports young boys and lets them know that it’s okay to talk about your feelings at a young age.”
Sam has a workshop booked with Find Ya Feet founder Tommy Herschell for late February at Palm Beach Currumbin State High on the Gold Coast.
“Now that I’ve been able to financially support him, I’ll also support him with my time, too.”
What a worthy King of the Jungle!
Stream I’m a Celebrity Australia 2025 on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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