Noel Edmonds WAS breaking the law by driving his own bus in Bristol bus lanes to try and beat rush hour traffic
The Deal or No Deal star cooked up a plan to avoid pesky fines - but Bristol Council say he's been breaking the law
NOEL Edmonds boasted about his tactic for beating traffic on I'm A Celebrity last night - by driving a bus in the bus lanes.
The telly favourite, 69, said his wife originally gave him the idea when she bought him a black taxi to avoid camera detection.
But Deal or No Deal legend Noel has been breaking the law all along.
He said on the show last night: "Bristol traffic is chaotic ... having got the ticket, I didn't take my cab in the bus lane.
"I did what any sane person would do. I bought a bus. I've a Routemaster bus."
Noel's wife Liz bought him a black cab and he revealed he shaved an hour off his commute by whizzing past traffic queuing in the inside lanes.
But the council installed CCTV in bus lanes, and he clocked up tickets.
Fleur East was gobsmacked and said: "How the other half live."
CCTV cameras are placed along bus lanes and snap any motorist using a bus lane illegally issued with a penalty charge notice.
The council added the bus lanes are "placed strategically to try and improve journey times around the city and we ask that people abide by the law".
In London, small buses are allowed in the restricted lane if it has nine seats for passengers, plus the driver's seat.
A spokeswoman said: "There is no regulation on whether it's a public/private bus or whether the passengers have paid."
Noel wasn't the first to cook up the clever plan, as The Duke of Edinburgh previously owned a black cab to allow him to travel inconspicuously.