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Shane Richie: There was no rift with AJ Pritchard on I’m A Celeb

The soap star was eliminated from the castle on Thursday night.

Shane Richie has dismissed rumours of his rift with AJ Pritchard (ITV) Expand

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Shane Richie has dismissed rumours of his rift with AJ Pritchard (ITV)

Shane Richie has dismissed rumours of his rift with AJ Pritchard (ITV)

Shane Richie has dismissed rumours of his rift with AJ Pritchard (ITV)

By Alex Green, PA Entertainment Reporter

Shane Richie has dismissed rumours of a rift between him and AJ Pritchard on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The actor and comedian, 56, said he shared a number of “great chats” with the former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 26, and would have been proud to have him as a son.

The pair clashed over the washing-up in camp, with Pritchard suggesting the former EastEnders actor was not pulling his weight.

AJ Pritchard clashed with Shane Richie over the washing-up in camp (ITV) Expand

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AJ Pritchard clashed with Shane Richie over the washing-up in camp (ITV)

AJ Pritchard clashed with Shane Richie over the washing-up in camp (ITV)

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AJ Pritchard clashed with Shane Richie over the washing-up in camp (ITV)

However, the pair eventually settled their dispute and Pritchard offered to give him a one-on-one dance lesson.

Speaking after becoming the final contestant to be evicted from the castle ahead of Friday’s final on ITV, Richie said he did not understand the rumours.

He said: “I don’t get it. I didn’t see what they thought they saw. Me and AJ, we did a trial together and then when I was leader of the camp and he wanted to do another one I said: ‘AJ mate, do you want to do it? You will be brilliant out there.’

“I used to talk to him about, ‘I would be so proud of you’, because I have got two boys. I remember saying, ‘I would be proud to have you as my son’.

“We had some great chats so I don’t know where that comes from.”

Richie also rubbished the idea, proposed by some viewers on social media, that he had been a bully to his campmates.

He said: “That’s just nonsense. Look, if we are going to start on social media then Trump deserves another four years.”

Richie, who was eliminated on Thursday night, said he had been craving salt since returning home.

“I put salt in my tea, I put salt in everything just so I could taste salt again. It’s just mad,” he said.

The actor lost more than a stone during his nearly three weeks on the show.

He said: “I found out last night. Just under a stone. How good is that?

“I had bigger boobs than the missus. I needed to try and drop a few pounds and I did.”

TV presenter Vernon Kay, radio DJ Jordan North and podcast host Giovanna Fletcher will compete in Friday’s final to discover who will be named the first King or Queen of the Castle.

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