This Morning’s Nick Ferrari reportedly threw the show into chaos after he pulled out of this year’s series of I’m A Celeb at the last minute. The 66-year-old broadcaster sat down with ITV bosses before his bosses at LBC allegedly intervened to stop him from jetting off down under.
According to reports, the radio station offered to match any fee Nick had been offered by I’m A Celeb bosses in order to keep him on the UK station. In addition to hosting the early morning LBC show since 2004, Nick also makes regular appearances on This Morning.
A source told The Sun: “[Radio bosses] pledged to match any fee he was set to receive as they consider him such a vital and well-loved part of the LBC schedule. Ultimately, Global was able to flex its financial muscles and managed to keep their man.
“If he had signed up, he would have been off air for up to six weeks, which they were keen not to happen. Nick is really well liked by those working on LBC, and everyone thinks he has played a blinder by getting a pay rise out of it.”
It is thought Kelly Brook has stepped in as his replacement after she was seen arriving at Heathrow Airport as she prepared to fly out to Australia for her unexpected stint on I’m A Celeb. She told her Heart Drive listeners that the TV offer was made on her afternoon show at the last minute.
She explained: “I didn’t have a lot of time! I think someone dropped out, and they called me. Honestly, this has been so last-minute… They’ve never even asked me to ever do it. The minute they asked me, and I went, ‘Yep, I’ll do it. I’ll do it!’”