Question Of Sport star says he’s up for I’m A Celeb jungle – years after turning down ITV bosses
MATT Dawson is up for the I'm A Celebrity jungle nearly two decades after he turned down the ITV reality show.
The England rugby world cup winner, 52, has already tried his hand at Strictly and Celebrity MasterChef, now the Aussie wilderness could be on the cards.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun on behalf of , Matt said: "The timing is always so important isn't it. I went straight into A Question of Sport whilst I was playing rugby and then I retired and carried on doing A Question of Sport.
"That first year I went into Celebrity MasterChef And then went straight into Strictly, so it was just like a segway into that career into some amazing shows.
"I seem to remember them asking me whilst I was still playing, which is obviously impossible to do, but there are hundreds of people probably a little bit more desperate to do it than I am.
"It's one that I enjoy watching. You watch Ant and Dec, it's just an amazing show, you feel it would be a nice thing if you were ever asked to do it but it's not something that I will be knocking on ITV's door to say 'Please, please, please let me do it'."
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A keen amateur cook, Matt won the first ever series of Celebrity MasterChef back in 2006.
He looks back fondly at the experience and it remains one of his all-time favourites from his time on TV.
"MasterChef was off the charts," he said. "It was right up my street. I love my food, love my cooking, love learning and met some amazing people, chefs etc
"That was incredible. It took me a while to get going and to understand that was a very different world from what I was used to.
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"But once I got over that hurdle It was an amazing show to be a part of."
Though he's a household name and no stranger to entertainment shows, Matt's toes curl at the thought of being called a celebrity.
When he's not on the box, he's working in professional rugby and running his own business development consultancy.
"I'd say I've been offered most of them," he said of the big reality shows. "I've got a job, I work, it's difficult. It's not like I sit around waiting to go on TV, I've got a normal day to day job.
"I'm sort of at peace as to what I do, I love the work that I do working within rugby, working with charities, spending time at home with my family I get to do opportunities like this, which is connected between the corporate and the rugby side of things.
"So it's not quite as easy as just saying 'come on, let's go to the jungle'. Out of all of them I think that would be the one that I would do only because I've never met anybody who's been on it who has said anything other than it was utterly amazing."
With the 6 Nations in full swing, Matt has teamed up with official mobile gaming partner Monopoly Go! to shine a spotlight on the importance of digital connection and communication.
New research has found that more than a third of Brits feel they don't see enough of their loved ones. To help them stay connected and celebrate Monopoly Go! becoming the official gaming partner of the 6 Nations, the mobile game is offering rugby fans a luxury trip to Paris for Super Saturday, including first-class travel, 2 night stay at IHG hotel, Kimpton St Honoré Paris, and matchday tickets.
An avid player of the game, Matt said: "That whole idea of social interaction, I'm generally fascinated to know how these types of things fit in with sport across the board, but it feels like quite a significant shift for rugby to have a partner, a mobile gaming partner, first time it's ever been done in rugby so to be a part of that big shift for the sport is something I'm very pleased to be a part of.
"Whether it be a mobile gaming app or if it's over a Zoom conversation with you you feel a lot more connected and I think from a sports perspective that's really important."
It's a dramatic change from Matt's time on the field two decades ago when social media and communication apps were in their infancy.
"I didn't necessarily understand that 20 odd years ago," he said. "But on reflection and I see it, it's quite inspiring, you see a lot of the current players talk about it quite a lot on how much time they're spending with their teammates and they might say it generically, but actually it will involve spending time on mobile gaming as much as spending time at the pub or spending time over dinner or on the rugby pitch or in the gym.
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"It's starting to become quite fluid and natural to do that and having that comparison to the people in the audience, the fans, the millions of people that are loving rugby I would say a vast group of that people are already doing that, but wouldn't necessarily connect that to rugby."
I'm A Celebrity - All The Winners
Here's every star who has been crowned King or Queen of the Jungle to date:
- 2024: Danny Jones, McFly star
- 2023: Sam Thompson, Made in Chelsea star
- 2022: Jill Scott, England footballer
- 2021: Danny Miller, Emmerdale star
- 2020: Giovanna Fletcher, actress and podcaster
- 2019: Jacqueline Jossa, EastEnders star
- 2018: Harry Redknapp, England legend
- 2017: Georgia Toffolo, Made In Chelsea star
- 2016: Scarlett Moffatt, Gogglebox star
- 2015: Vicky Pattison, Geordie Shore star
- 2014: Carl Fogarty, famed racer
- 2013: Kian Egan, Westlife star
- 2012: Charlie Brooks, EastEnders actor
- 2011: Dougie Poynter, McFly star
- 2010: Stacey Solomon, X Factor star now TV personality
- 2009: Gino D'ACampo, TV Chef
- 2008: Joe Swash, TV personality
- 2007: Christopher Biggins, actor
- 2006: Matt Willis, Busted star
- 2005: Carol Thatcher, author and broadcaster
- 2004 (second series): Joe Pasquale, comedian
- 2004: Kerry Katona, Atomic Kitten star and reality star
- 2003: Phil Tufnell, England Cricketer
- 2002: Tony Blackburn, Radio DJ
There was also an All Star series in South Africa in 2023, which was won by Myleene Klass.