When Vogue Williams stepped into the Australian jungle on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 9:00 PM UTC, she didn’t just enter a reality TV competition—she walked straight into a media storm that had been brewing for nearly a decade. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!Australia season premiere drew record viewership, but the buzz wasn’t just about bugs and bushtucker trials. It was about the ghost of her husband, Spencer Matthews, and the political firestorm she ignited in 2017. Eight years to the day after Spencer Matthews was pulled from the same show for steroid use, his wife became the latest contestant—and the internet didn’t let either of them forget it.
How a 2016 Steroid Scandal Still Haunts Spencer Matthews
Spencer Matthews didn’t last two days in the 2016 I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!Australia. He’d been training for a charity boxing match, he later told Cosmopolitan UK, and decided to bulk up with anabolic steroids. "Vanity, I suppose," he admitted. "I planned to taper off slowly, but there was no time." Production, citing health and safety protocols, removed him before he even reached the main camp. "It was a serious error of judgement," he said. The fallout was swift: headlines screamed "Celeb Doping Scandal," and Matthews’ public image took a hit that never fully recovered. Now, with his wife entering the jungle, he’s barred from any form of on-air support—not because of marital strain, but because of ITV’s strict no-repeat-policy for former contestants. "It’s not about them fighting," says Michael Slavin, the LADbible journalist who broke the story. "It’s about the show’s rules. He’s a ghost in the system now. And that’s the irony."Vogue Williams’ 2017 Column That Sparked National Outrage
While Matthews’ scandal was about physical health, Williams’ was about ideology. In the aftermath of the 2017 London Bridge and Manchester Arena attacks, she penned a column for an Irish publication arguing that "internment camps are a grim necessity" to prevent further terrorism. The piece, never widely republished, resurfaced in full on November 20, 2025, after a reader dug it up from an archived blog. Donald Clarke, a columnist for The Irish Times, called her stance "illogical, totalitarian and profoundly sinister," comparing it to UKIP’s most extreme rhetoric. The backlash was immediate. Twitter threads exploded. BBC Radio 4 ran a segment on "celebrity political overreach." Within 48 hours, Williams issued an apology: "Everyone has the right to a fair trial and to be heard. I of course do not believe in a dictatorship type of government." But the damage stuck. Critics pointed out the contradiction: a woman who speaks openly about mental health and trauma, yet once endorsed mass detention without trial. "It wasn’t just the words," says Dr. Aisha Nkosi, a media ethics professor at King’s College London. "It was the timing. She spoke when the country was raw. That’s not just a mistake—it’s a moral misstep."Why Spencer Can’t Be There—And Why It Matters
LADbible’s Slavin made one thing clear: Matthews’ absence isn’t about cold feet or marital tension. "It’s purely procedural," he said. "ITV doesn’t allow former contestants to appear on screen, even as supporters, for five years after their exit. That rule was created after 2016 to avoid the perception of favoritism." But the emotional weight? That’s another story. Williams, 37, is reportedly anxious about entering the jungle alone. Friends say she’s been rehearsing her lines for interviews, worried about being reduced to "Spencer’s wife" again. "She’s not just trying to survive the jungle," says a source close to the couple. "She’s trying to survive the narrative." And with no partner to lean on—even emotionally—her mental resilience is being tested in ways no viewer sees.
The Bigger Picture: Reality TV as a Mirror
This isn’t just about two people on a show. It’s about how society treats celebrity missteps. Matthews’ steroid use was framed as a personal failing, while Williams’ political comment was treated as a moral crime. One was about body image; the other, about national security. Both were amplified by media that didn’t pause to ask: "What context was missing?" The Tab’s reporting on Williams’ 2017 piece included sexist undertones—"Why does she think she can comment on politics?"—while Matthews’ story was treated with a kind of sympathetic regret. "It’s a double standard," says Dr. Nkosi. "Men get second chances for physical indiscretions. Women get crucified for ideological ones."What Happens Next?
The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!Australia season airs nightly at 9:00 PM UTC on ITV1 and ITVX. Williams’ first challenge—eating a live insect—aired Friday night and drew 3.2 million viewers, up 22% from last year’s opener. But the real test isn’t the bugs. It’s whether viewers can separate the person from the past. Will they see a woman trying to reclaim her narrative? Or will they keep scrolling past her, still haunted by words written eight years ago?
Background: A Timeline of Controversy
- 2016, November 20: Spencer Matthews removed from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! after two days due to undisclosed steroid use.
- 2017, June: Vogue Williams publishes column advocating "internment camps" following UK terror attacks.
- 2017, June 12: Williams issues public apology after backlash from media and public figures.
- 2025, November 20: Williams enters the jungle as a contestant; Matthews’ past is reignited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t Spencer Matthews support Vogue in the jungle?
ITV has a strict rule prohibiting former contestants from appearing on screen or offering on-air support for five years after their exit. Spencer Matthews was removed in 2016, so his involvement is barred by protocol—not personal choice. Even if he wanted to send a message or appear via video, the show’s producers won’t allow it to maintain fairness among contestants.
What did Vogue Williams say about internment camps, and why was it so controversial?
In a 2017 column, Williams wrote that "internment camps are a grim necessity" following terror attacks in the UK. Critics, including Donald Clarke of The Irish Times, condemned the statement as endorsing state repression without due process. The backlash focused on the timing—right after national trauma—and the implication that civil liberties could be suspended for security. Williams later apologized, clarifying she supports fair trials and opposes dictatorship.
Is there any evidence of marital strain between Vogue and Spencer because of this?
No credible sources have reported tension in their marriage over the situation. Close friends say the couple has discussed the media storm openly, and Spencer has privately encouraged Vogue to focus on her own journey. The real strain is external: the public’s tendency to link their pasts, even when they’re unrelated. Their relationship appears stable, but the spotlight is relentless.
How did the media handle their controversies differently?
Spencer Matthews’ steroid use was framed as a personal lapse—almost tragic, with headlines like "Regretful Star Forced Out." Vogue Williams’ political comment was treated as a moral failing, with sexist undertones questioning her right to speak on politics. This reflects a broader pattern: men’s physical missteps are often excused as youthful errors; women’s ideological ones are weaponized as character flaws.
What’s the likelihood Vogue will win the competition?
Bookmakers currently have her at 8/1 odds—slightly behind front-runners but ahead of most returning celebrities. Her resilience, media savvy, and emotional honesty could win over viewers. But her past controversies may alienate older audiences. Winning isn’t just about endurance—it’s about redemption, and that’s harder to earn on TV than in real life.
Will this affect future reality TV opportunities for either of them?
Spencer Matthews has largely moved on from reality TV, focusing on fitness entrepreneurship. Vogue Williams, however, may find herself typecast as "the controversial one." Producers might avoid casting her again unless they can reframe her narrative. But her podcast, "The Honest Hour," has grown steadily since 2020, suggesting her real influence lies beyond TV screens.