By MEGAN OGLE
IT WAS a bittersweet end for local celebrity Jo Beth Taylor as she left the South African jungle on Monday night (7 March).
The I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! contestant cheered and punched her fists in the air as her name was called out to leave the Channel Ten reality show after nearly five and a half weeks in the jungle.
Jo Beth’s partner Matt Bennell said he was looking forward to welcoming her home and said he was able to talk with Jo Beth briefly at 1am on Tuesday morning between her many media interviews.
“Jo Beth is looking forward to coming home but it’s bittersweet as she was so close to winning for World Vision,” Matt said.
“She said the experience was mentally challenging and physically tough but also really rewarding.”
Jo Beth had completed five and a half weeks in the jungle, lost over seven kilos and conquered her fear of heights but it was a switch in voting methods which Matt said quickly turned Jo Beth’s winning streak around.
“When the voting switched over to include Twitter for finals week, that’s when things got tough,” Matt said.
“Jo Beth has a great following in Australia but now she was up against people like Havana Brown and Shane Warne who have a massive Twitter following.”
Jo Beth is due to land back in Queensland later this week and said she was looking forward to catching up with her son Christian and partner Matt.