John Barrowman has said he would like his title to be gender fluid if he wins I’m A Celebrity.
The Torchwood and Doctor Who actor is one of the contestants going Down Under for the upcoming series of the ITV show, which crowns a King or Queen of the Jungle at the end.
“I would be over the moon if I won,” he said. “I would be the King or Queen of the Jungle.”
Barrowman, who married his husband in 2013, said he was ready to embrace the gruelling trials on the show.
But he confessed he was dreading any coffin-style challenges.
“If they put me in a box like a coffin, I know I am going to have a problem,” said the 51-year-old.
“I will have to really figure that one out when it happens as I know filming Torchwood, there was a scene where we filmed in a coffin. They put me in a coffin in a drawer and I couldn’t do it.
“It was see-through and so I could see space but I couldn’t do it. I had a panic.
“That might be the challenge that is most fearful for me. But realistically, you know they are not going to do anything that hurts you.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! starts on Sunday November 18 on ITV.
- Press Association
JOHN Barrowman is best known in the UK for playing Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and its spin-off, Torchwood.
Now he's trying something new, entering the Aussie jungle for I'm A Celebrity 2018. Here's what you need to know about the all-round entertainer...
5 John Barrowman's blue eyes and stage presence has sent his career rocketing
Who is John Barrowman, how old is he and what is his background?
Actor John Barrowman, 51, was born in Glasgow and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight.
His love of performing came from the encouragement and coaching he received from his music and English teachers while at high school, and he was moved into a Gifted Programme to further develop his talents.
Animal lover John holds British and American citizenship and studied performing arts at the United States International University in San Diego before starting his career in London.
5 John will be joining the I'm A Celebrity line-up along with nine other famous faces
Is John Barrowman taking part in I'm A Celebrity?
In November 2018 it was revealed that John will be taking part in Bushtucker trials for I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! 2018.
He said: said: “I would be over the moon if I won.
“I would be the king or queen of the jungle!”
The 51-year-old will be joined by fellow campmates Emily Atack, Harry Redknapp and more.
What stage and TV shows has John appeared in?
John made his name in the West End, landing roles in musicals including Miss Saigon, The Phantom of The Opera, Sunset Boulevard and La Cage aux Folles.
He has also appeared in various films such as the musical comedy, The Producers in 2005 and more recently Zero Dark Thirty.
Barrowman was a natural choice as judge on the Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical talent shows, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, Any Dream Will Do and I'd Do Anything.
A brilliant guest on chat and reality shows, he has appeared on Dancing On Ice, Children in Need and the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special - as well as putting in a memorable appearance on Celebrity Juice, and hosting quiz show Pressure Pad.
DC 5 John as Malcolm in Arrow, which he is now sadly leaving
John then wen onto star in CW's DC Comics series Arrow as supervillain Malcolm Merlyn - but he was devastated in 2017 when his character got the axe.
He told fans: "I am very sad to be leaving the Arrowverse...
"As sad as it may be I understand how shows must change and also how characters must change and develop but that doesn't mean I'm not very sad and upset about it."
Over the 2016 Christmas period, John appeared in Birmingham's panto Dick Whittington, bringing a touch of showbiz class to the titular role.
He then played the fairytale character again in Manchester across the 2017-18 season - alongside veteran comedy duo The Krankies.
Getty Images 5 John and his husband at Buckingham Palace
Who did John Barrowman play in the Doctor Who universe?
Captain Jack Harkness is the role that John is known for - originally playing the swash-buckling, omnisexual character as a recurring guest in Doctor Who from 2005-2010.
Time-travelling heartthrob Captain Jack was so popular he was given his own show, Torchwood, which ran from 2006-2011.
This year John made it clear he would agree to return to Doctor Who "at the drop of a hat" after slamming "certain egos" for blocking a revival of Torchwood.
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Who is John Barrowman married to?
John met his husband, Scott Gill, during a production at the Chichester Film Festival in 1993 where Scott was in the audience.
The couple entered a civil partnership in 2006 and legally married in California in 2013.
John received an MBE in 2014 and was accompanied by Scott to the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
They have homes in London, Cardiff and Palm Springs.
That Lazarus Pit sure is handy. Malcolm Merlyn, the deceased “Dark Archer” and former leader of the League of Assassins, will return later this season on The CW’s Arrow in a capacity yet to be revealed.
During the Torchwood panel held at the Supanova Comic Con & Gaming Expo in Brisbane, Australia, actor John Barrowman (who starred in Doctor Who and Torchwood as the immortal Captain Jack Harkness) told the Australian crowd that he will return for an episode of Arrow later this season.
It is unknown how long and in what capacity Barrowman’s return to the series will look like. So it’s anyone’s guess if Malcolm Merlyn is actually still alive, will undergo some sort of resurrection, or, as Arrow has done multiple times, simply feature the character in flashbacks, hallucinations, and even doppelgängers with characters (namely the Human Target) pretending to play old, familiar faces.
While the Arrowverse has an exhausting history of characters returning for varying stints after being killed off, the return of Barrowman’s Malcolm Merlyn is especially interesting. In the show’s sixth season finale, Malcolm died in an act of sacrifice to save his daughter, Thea (Willa Holland) on Lian Yu, the island where Ollie (Stephen Amell) became the Green Arrow.
John Barrowman as "Malcolm Merlyn" in his final (?) appearance in 'Arrow' Season 6.
Unlike other characters, Malcolm Merlyn once had the Lazarus Pit under his control. In both the comics and in Arrow, the Lazarus Pit is a mystical pool of enchanted water capable of healing and even resurrecting people from the dead. The Lazarus Pit was destroyed in Season 4, but nothing in Arrow is powerful enough to stop a television writer’s room.
Original 3 Reasons 'Stranger Things' Season 3 Will Be the Scariest Season Yet
Arrow airs Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern on The CW.
The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 2018 line-up was revealed on Monday night after months of speculation.
John Barrowman MBE was a surprise addition to the star-studded list, and during his pre-entry interview the actor revealed that he's aiming to become the ITV show's first gender-fluid winner.
The Scottish-American actor, 51, confessed: 'I would be over the moon if I won. I would be the King or Queen of the Jungle.'
Making history: John Barrowman MBE has revealed that he's aiming to become I'm A Celebrity's first gender-fluid winner
John is no stranger to dressing up as a woman, having played cross-dressing club performer Albin in musical La Cage Aux Folles in the West End in 2009.
The Dr Who star also revealed that he's embracing the chance to have a break from his husband Scott Gill.
The couple became one of the first same-sex couples to marry in California after it became legal in 2013, and have been together for 27 years in total.
John said: 'To be blunt, it will also be nice to have some 'me' time! Nobody will be able to get in touch, text or email. I know it's a game and I am not going in to be a misery.'
Gender-fluid: John is no stranger to dressing up as a woman, having played cross-dressing club performer Albin in musical La Cage Aux Folles in the West End in 2009
King or Queen: The Scottish-American actor, 51, confessed: 'I would be over the moon if I won. I would be the King or Queen of the Jungle'
Time out: The Dr Who star also revealed that he's embracing the chance to have a break from his husband Scott Gill (pictured together in London in April)
'But will I be pining for him? Oh gosh no! I am looking forward to the quiet! I am very logical and I know that once this show is done, I will be back at work. It's not like I am never going to sit on a sofa and watch TV again!'
The Torchwood star is ready to embrace all the trials, admitting: 'I have known for quite a while and I am both excited and nervous now. I like a challenge, I like a competition and I might make some new friends out of it.
But the actor knows his limitations, confessing that coffin's are a no-no for him.
He said: 'If they put me in a box like a coffin, I know I am going to have a problem, I will have to really figure that one out when it happens as I know filming Torchwood, there was a scene where we filmed in a coffin.
Up for a challenge: The Torchwood star is ready to embrace all the trials, admitting: 'I like a challenge, I like a competition and I might make some new friends out of it'
Line-up: The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 2018 line-up was revealed on Monday night after months of speculation, with John Barrowman (far left) a surprise addition
'They put me in a coffin in a drawer and I couldn't do it. It was see through and so I could see space but I couldn't do it. I had a panic.
'That might be the challenge that is most fearful for me. But realistically, you know they are not going to do anything that hurts you.'
Despite his coffin-phobia, Jack admitted that he's keen to be pushed to him limits, asserting: 'And OMG I want to do the trials for sure. I want people to vote for me. I want to keep myself busy.'
His husband, Scott, has also been hugely supportive of John's decision to go into the jungle. 'He thinks it will be awesome,' added the presenter.
As well as being tested in terrifying trials, John is also hoping to use the opportunity to shed a few pounds.
Jungle diet: As well as being tested in terrifying trials, John is also hoping to use the opportunity to shed a few pounds
Tum tum? He admitted: 'I am quite happy to lose my love handles around my waist. At 51, I have put a bit of tum tum on and I am ready to lose that'
The actor is in fact incredibly well prepared for what he will have to face during his time in camp, having already cut out seasoning at meal times.
He admitted: 'I am quite happy to lose my love handles around my waist. At 51, I have put a bit of tum tum on and I am ready to lose that.
'I only have a meal a day so it's not a big deal for me but I have curbed lots of flavours already.'
And when it comes to potential on-screen dramas, the television star revealed: 'If I see someone being rude, I will stand up for myself.'
And as for his character, he explained: 'If I see a commercial and it's sad, I will cry but I am pretty strong and I tend to be a person who people gravitate to.'
I'm A Celebrity kicks off on Sunday 18 November at 9pm on ITV.
