Tony Blackburn can’t stand watching I’m a Celebrity…South Africa.

The 80-year-old DJ became the first King of the Jungle when he won the first season of the regular version of the survival show in 2002, but slammed the show’s spin-off as “disgusting” after Diversity star Jordan Banjo was forced to eat lamb testicles and other disgusting items as part of a bushtucker trial.

He told The Sun: “I loved the show and I hate to criticise but I watched it last night and it is just awful. Eating pieces of penis is disgusting. I don’t think it is entertainment. I can’t watch it. I turn away. I don’t want to see celebrities vomiting on TV, especially after eating antelope.”

The former Top of the Pops presenter is a vegetarian and added that he does not “preach” against eating meat, but claimed that bosses behind the ITV1 series – which sees former campmates such as Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan, 2017 winner Georgia “Toff” Toffolo and Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder compete in South Africa for the title of the first I’m a Celeb Legend – do not understand what the appeal of the show is.

He added: “I’m not preaching vegetarianism, people can do what they want but we’ve seen it all before, it’s a bit old fashioned now and the shock value isn’t there anymore. Last night he swallowed a pig’s fur and said he could feel the hairs – it’s horrible. That’s what the producers don’t quite understand

– I think the strength of the program is watching how people react to each other. That’s what makes it fun.”

Tony, who competed in the Australian jungle alongside stars such as the late socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and singer Darren Day, also insisted he would turn down an offer to return to the show if asked, claiming most of the other winners feel the same way.

“I’m 80 years old now, but if they asked me if I wanted to enter, I’d say no. I wouldn’t want to do it again. I’ve spoken to one or two other people who have won it, and I don’t think most of them would.”