I'm A Celebrity fans in tears over surprising Steve Irwin admission: 'So special'

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! newcomer Sigrid Thornton left viewers in tears after sharing a memory including host Robert Irwin's dad Steve Irwin. The actress was forced to participate in the Viper Room challenge, which involved lying in a confined space with hundreds of snakes.

For someone who suffers from claustrophobia, like Sigrid, the challenge wasn't something she was really looking forward to. But before the challenge, Sigrid told Robert, "Snakes – look I've held snakes – I've actually held a snake with your dad."

Appearing surprised by the admission, Robert, asked, "Is that right?"

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"I have, I'm honoured to say, I have held snakes with your dad," Sigrid told him.

"I feel like I've actually seen that picture," he told her. "That is so special."

"Very special to me," she told him.

When asked how she is in confined spaces, Sigrid also shared a story of being locked inside a locker when she was just eight years old, making the challenge quite terrifying for her.

Sigrid left the Viper Room winning 11 stars for her campmates, meaning she won 11 meals. The actress completed the challenge gracefully and told Robert that she felt Steve helping her through it.

"You know who helped me with that? Your dad, makes me want to cry, he definitely was there with me," she said.

"Let me tell you right now, Dad would have been very proud," Robert told her.

Sigrid was joined by 170 snakes in the Viper Room and the star broke the record for the longest time spent inside at 33 minutes.

I'm A Celebrity fans praise Sigrid: 'Made me teary'

Viewers were quick to praise Sigrid, with one Instagram user writing, "Sigrid was absolutely amazing, it made me teary when she spoke of Steve Irwin. Such an incredible woman."

"Much respect to you, you're so incredible staying calm in the Viper Room," another said.

"Sigrid, you're amazing!! Beautifully said about Steve too," a third added. "You are so courageous being in the viper room in such a calm manner, oh my goodness, you're doing so well!"

"My heart melted when she mentioned Steve 🥹🙏 Bless her!" someone else said. "I couldn't help but grab that box of tissues handy."

"It was the Steve Irwin nod for me," another added.

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"This was inspiring and how beautiful about Steve ❤️," one viewer wrote. "She also showed how sweet she is with all her thank you’s and a contender to win this!"

Others called her the "snake whisperer" and described her as being so "courageous".

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