The wife of campmate Tony Bellew has spoken about how hard it is to be apart - but she still wants him to get a "nasty" bush tucker trial for his birthday this week.

Rachael Bellew has never before had this long without speaking with her husband since they met. But she said looking after four kids has kept her busy since the ex-boxer left to head down under.

Landing in Brisbane Airport to support him, Rachael said: He's doing brilliant. Yeah really surprised me. "He’s 100 percent been himself in there. Being a bit of a joker, he’s very relaxed. Everyone sees him as a big macho man but he’s super soft. He’s like that at home, he's very supportive of his friends and he’s the one to call when you want advice."

Asked about a possible bromance with Sam Thompson who is like a super fan of Bellew in camp, Rachael added: "When Sam first met him he was delighted. I’ve been asked would it do his head in and it wouldn't. He's very friendly and I’m sure he sees him like a little brother."

Tony and Rachael grew up together in nearby Merseyside neighbourhoods and met when they were just nine-years-old. Their romance was sparked years later when 18-year-old Tony met Rachael on a night out and fell for her. The pair later began dating and married in 2018 at Cheshire’s Peckforton Castle and have been inseparable for two decades.

Asked about being apart, she said: "We are very close but I'm going to be brutally honest, I've been that busy. With watching him of an evening it's been okay. Because I know what he's doing there. And I've just been busy with the kids. It has been hard not having contact with them but it is part and parcel."

Rachael flew in with their children Carter, Carson, Cobey and Corey but they all hope they will not be seeing their dad too soon and he continues to do well on the ITV show.

On his birthday tomorrow/today(THURS), she said: "It is his birthday on Thursday and it will be the first one we have spent apart, it is just one of those things, he is working. But let's hope he gets a nasty trial!"

Since going into the show, ex-boxer Bellew has been a fan favourite for his humour and laid back attitude. Speaking before he went in as a latecomer, Bellew said: "This is the longest I haven't spoken to my wife for in 22 years. I'll adapt and I'll adjust. It is just one of those things where you know, hopefully absence makes the heart grow fonder."

He also said his family were a big part of him signing up for the show. He explained: "The missus and the kids watch the show. My wife was wondering about it and then we sat down with her and took it seriously and said should I or should or not and yeah in the end I thought I'm here once and when I'm gone, my kids are going to have something to look back on and show their kids and stuff.

"Look what my silly dad did, went into the jungle for a few weeks. So yeah, it's exciting."

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