Radio 1 favourites Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams have been watching I’m A Celeb and are fully behind the rumoured romance between rapper Aitch and Shona McGarty
Radio 1 favourites Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams have been keeping a close eye on this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and it’s safe to say they’ve got strong opinions about the camp.
Melvin admits he’s fully behind the rumoured romance between rapper Aitch and EastEnders star Shona McGarty. “Yeah, I’m rooting for it!” Melvin laughs. “They’ve been flirty. I genuinely think they’d make a great couple. Even if they don’t date, they should make a track together.”
Both of them agreed that Aitch and Shona shared musical talents, before Rickie added, “We’ll get them in the Live Lounge if they do!”
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It follows speculation that something was brewing between the two campmates. after Aitch had confessed his feelings about Shona to Angry Ginge at the end of last week, admitting: “I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Shona, me.”
Melvin knows all too well what jungle life is like after having appeared on the 2024 series, where he finished in ninth place, and Danny Jones took home the crown.
Comparing his season to the camp we are currently watching, Melvin says: “I feel like this camp’s very similar to ours in terms of they really get on well, and they really back and motivate each other.”
He added: “I kind of prefer when everyone gets on the show, I know obviously everyone enjoys the drama, and people are arguing and stuff, but I really enjoy it when people just kind of get on and there’s so many different dynamics.”
Rickie admits the emotional moments have been the most striking. “When someone you’ve only ever seen in a certain way suddenly gets vulnerable, it pulls on your heartstrings. Ginge crying really got me.”
Rickie recalled: “Mel had a moment like that last year, he was cold, hungry, and just done. You forget the cameras are there and you see the real person.”
As for whether Rickie would ever take the plunge into the jungle himself, he doesn’t hesitate. “If you get asked to do I’m A Celeb, there are certain shows you just can’t say no to,” he says. “So yes, I’d definitely do it if I was asked.”
Melvin, though, has no plans to return for an All-Star series. “It would ruin it for me,” he admits. “When I came out, my sister reminded me of all the good bits I’d forgotten. In there, it feels long and tough, but afterwards I remembered how amazing it really was. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I don’t want to spoil that by doing it again.”
When it comes to their own friendship, Melvin and Rickie’s bond has been going strong for decades.
“Me and Rick met at university,” Melvin says, before Rickie quickly jumps in: “Day one, actually!”
Melvin laughs, admitting he immediately saw Rickie as “the cool person” on campus. “He was dressed really well. He got me into UK garage. We just clicked instantly.”
Their friendship soon turned into a professional partnership that shaped both their futures. “Rick got me my first real BBC radio job,” Melvin says proudly. “Working with a mate never feels like work. I genuinely see him as family. He drives me crazy and I drive him crazy, but we’re lucky to have each other.”
With years of working together come plenty of outrageous memories, and Rickie is quick to remind Melvin of one of his most embarrassing moments, which involved a mankini.
“It was when Borat was huge,” Rickie laughs. “Mel lost a dare on air, and the forfeit was coming to work in a mankini. We even sent him to Greggs in Covent Garden wearing it. And… lets just say it was a very cold day”, they both burst into laughter.
Melvin recalled another hilariously memorable day on air: “We were left alone to do the breakfast show one day,” he says. “I had to read an advert for a Sandra Bullock film, and for some reason I just couldn’t pronounce her surname. I’m sure you can guess what I said instead of ‘Bullock’… live on air. Rick and Charlie were literally crying with laughter.”
The pair also shared their happiness for friend and fellow BBC Radio 1 presenter Jamie Laing, who has just become a first-time dad with wife Sophie Habboo. Rickie beamed as he spoke about the former Made in Chelsea star.
“Jamie’s always inviting us to stuff and trying to feed us Candy Kittens. He’s going to be such an energetic, hands-on dad. But I think the tiredness is going to hit him hard. He’s got so much going on with the podcast, the TV shows, the radio. He’s in for a big awakening!”
The pair are also championing an important new NHS initiative. They’re supporting the Healthy Choices Quiz, a five-minute online check-in that gives people a lifestyle score out of ten and then offers a personalised plan with NHS tips and advice.
Rickie says the campaign resonates with both of them. “We’re at that stage in life where we’re taking our health more seriously than we did when we were younger. As DJs, we were known for partying and late nights. But now we’re both really conscious about our health. The quiz is designed to help you take that one simple step towards a healthier lifestyle, and we love that.”
DJs Rickie Haywood-Williams and Melvin Odoom are supporting NHS’s Healthy Choices Quiz, a free health and wellbeing quiz to encourage people to take the first step towards feeling healthier. Take the Healthy Choices Quiz to get your score and a plan that is right for you.
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