Martina Navratilova thought she was signing up for a camping show when she agreed to appear on this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’. (From Bucks Free Press)

Martina Navratilova thought she was signing up for a camping show when she agreed to appear on this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’.

9:06am Monday 8th December 2008 in

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The Czech tennis legend, who finished runner-up to ex-‘EastEnders’ actor Joe Swash on last night’s show (05.12.08), admitted she had no idea how gruelling life in the Australian jungle would be.

When quizzed by presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly about why she decided to take part in the reality programme, Martina – who had to endure bugs crawling all over her face in her final Bushtucker Trial - said: “I took it on by not knowing what it was! I thought I would be sleeping under the stars and earning my food, but this was such a challenge. Even when you’re training for sport you have a rest, but here there was no rest. And you never felt full in your belly. That’s why it was essential to get as many portions as you could when there was a trial.”

The 52-year-old sports star insisted she was happy to lose to Joe in the final, because he was such a worthy winner.

She said: “I’m happy for Joe, really happy. You can’t compete with ‘EastEnders’. You can’t compete with Joe, he’s a treat.”

Former ‘Star Trek’ star George Takei came third in the public vote and was delighted to have stayed in camp for the full 21 days.

He gleefully exclaimed: “I’m feeling glorious! It’s been a fantastic experience. I never thought I’d make it to the final three so I’m absolutely delirious.”

George, 71, also praised his new best friend Joe and revealed he would be inviting him out to Los Angles to stay with him.

He said: I’m going to visit him in London, I know where he lives and he knows where I live in Los Angeles. I’m going to show him a lot of my hometown. The friendships I’ve made don’t end today. They will last a lifetime and will criss-cross all over the world.”