Boy George vows to 'be more queer' in defiant response to homophobic trolls

Watch: I'm a Celebrity line-up revealed for 2022

Boy George has hit back at homophobic trolls and vowed to "be more queer" when he enters the Australian jungle as part of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

The Culture Club singer told Metro that he decided to say yes to joining the line-up for "the biggest show on TV" because he is "bored of being iconic in the corner".

Read more: The full line-up for the 2022 series of I'm a Celeb

The 61-year-old star will join the likes of Chris Moyles, Charlene White, Mike Tindall and former health secretary Matt Hancock on the reality series this year.

Ahead of his arrival on the show, George has opted to issue a message to those who send him negative comments on social media.

Boy George is due to enter the Australian jungle as part of the new series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. (ITV)
Boy George is due to enter the Australian jungle as part of the new series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. (ITV)

He said: "I’m surprised I’m not trolled more, and maybe I just don’t care about that, because with things like homophobia, I look at that like it’s someone else’s disease.

"It doesn’t make me less queer, I’m going to be more queer."

Read more: Boy George wants "brave" actor to play him in biopic

George also said he was driven to take part given the fact that he believes I'm a Celebrity and other reality shows have "calmed down" in the last few years.

"People aren’t as combative anymore," he said, adding: "You can’t just say what you want to people anymore."

Boy George is defiant as he prepares to enter the I'm a Celebrity jungle. (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty)
Boy George is defiant as he prepares to enter the I'm a Celebrity jungle. (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty)

George also revealed that he wasn't given permission to modify the traditional campmate outfit, but decided to do so anyway when they sent the costume to him.

He said: "They sent them over to see if they would fit me, and of course I’m a hat guy and thought it was too small, so I took a pair of scissors to it and cut it up.

Read more: The most "targeted" contestants on I'm a Celebrity ever

"I thought [ITV bosses] were going to go mad but they seemed to like it, and I can’t promise I’ll be wearing it in there because I haven’t really discussed it."

The launch episode of the 2022 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here is due to air on ITV on the 6 November.

Watch: Matt Hancock loses Tory whip over I'm a Celebrity appearance