REIGNING King Of the Jungle Christopher Biggins tells the Daily Echo he is “really excited” about returning to panto after last year’s break which saw him winning I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

And he was also relieved to tell me none of the celebrities he is working with in Southampton Mayflower’s musical pantomime, Cinderella, is a “pain”, unlike his views on the celebs in this year’s TV series.

Taking a break from rehearsals for what is a lavish and starry show – boasting Biggins himself, plus Matthew Kelly, Craig McLachlan and Stefanie Powers – the exuberant star told me: “This will be really special.

“It’s got a fantastic cast and wonderful producers who have spent a fortune pulling out all the stops.

“There’s not one person in this panto who’s a pain – they’re all gorgeous.

“You do need to get on. If you don’t it just makes it much more difficult as we work so hard and it’s such high energy.”

He has been glued to the current I’m a Celebrity... every night after intensive days rehearsing for Cinderella, which opens tomorrow, and had some strong views on the contestants!

“It’s been very interesting this time. I didn’t expect Esther [Rantzen] to go out so early. And I felt sorry for Robert Kilroy-Silk, who was so disappointed to go out first. Personally I would have loved to be in there with Martina [Navratilova].

“I think the last three will be Martina, Joe [Swash] and George [Takei].

“Joe is great and a lovely boy but he has been doing some annoying things. My advice would be to be yourself. If you go in there thinking you can put on a performance you will get very tired, like Janice who was in with me. She was horrid, vile, but looking back it was hysterical.”

“I would have killed Timmy Mallett if I’d been in the jungle with him – he’s so annoying. And David Van Day is a nightmare! And as for Brian Paddick... he’s so boring and he tells the most awful lies!

“But David is soooo bitter. His ego is so strong he really believes he will win it! He might be in the last few but he definitely won’t win. Joe is my favourite to win. He’s a nice little Cockney boy. He’s charming, cute and funny and he’s entering into the spirit and standing up for other people.”

All will be revealed tomorrow night as the new King or Queen of the Jungle is crowned.

Biggins will be stepping out on stage for his 38th pantomime production so plans to record it but adds: “When I won it it made a huge difference in so many ways. It’s incredible that you can spend 40 years in a job and then a TV show can change everything. I only did it because I had been on Ant and Dec’s wish list for several years and I thought it would be nice to earn myself a little pension but it’s a roller coaster.”

Biggins now has his own TV chat show and quiz show lined up next year.