The social media star made his name on Twitch and YouTube
Angry Ginge(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Angry Ginge’s mum has spoken of her pride about her boy going into the jungle – as she revealed how he’d been watching old episodes of SAS: Who Dares Wins to prepare. The 24-year-old social media star – who is the bookie’s favourite to win – told his mum of his novel methods to psych himself up during a phone call while Down Under.
The celebs have their phones confiscated as soon as they land in Australia. But Ginge, whose mum Michelle calls him by his real name Morgan, was given special permission to call her on Friday on his birthday.
She said: “Morgan managed to ring me via the producer’s phone because he was allowed a quick phone call for his birthday, and he sounded absolutely buzzing. He told me he’s been watching SAS to get himself mentally ready for the jungle, which is so him.”
He was particularly enthused by the rule change this year that means the bushtucker trials will be more fairly distributed among all the celebs. She said: “He was laughing and saying it’s the best birthday present he could’ve asked for.”
Ginge is incredibly close to his mum, who raised him and his sister on a council estate in Salford, on just £12.5k a year. It was in his bedroom that he first started live-streaming himself playing football video games, under the username Angryginge13.
At first, Michelle was left baffled by what he was up to as he streamed for up to 10 hours a day. But she has since watched amazed as he amassed more than five million followers across his social media accounts.
Ginge said: “At first it was probably a bit confusing for her, because it’s quite a new thing. But she understands it all now. She loves it and she even watches me now.”
Such is his success that he has acquired a string of celeb friends including Wayne and Coleen Rooney, darts legend Luke Littler and Spurs ace James Maddison, with whom he collaborates on videos.
His nan has also grown to appreciate what he does too – even joining him on some live streams. And Michelle said her son’s first thought upon speaking was to ask how his nan, and sister were doing.
She added: “I made sure he knows his family and friends all send their love, and that everyone back home is right behind him. He sounded happy, grounded and genuinely excited for what’s ahead.”
Michellle admitted she grew emotional when it came to the moment he had to say goodbye, as she won’t see him for three weeks.
She is set to fly over to meet him on the famous bridge afterwards, but it will be the longest they’ve been apart.
She said: “I told him that if I’d actually seen him in person, I think I would’ve cried, although I did well up when I said goodbye on the phone. I told him ‘I love you’ and he said ‘love you too,’ and honestly my throat just went. It was one of those proper lump-in-the-throat moments.”
But she said that Ginge was already telling her that she wouldn’t be able to hack the early starts when she gets to Australia. Those meeting their loved-ones on the bridge have to go to camp every morning.
She said: “He was laughing at the fact I’ll have to get up at 5am when I’m out there, proper typical Morgan humour.”
Angry Ginge(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Michelle said that Ginge, who last went on holiday in 2018 for his uncle’s wedding, was making the most of his final days of luxury before three weeks of camp life.
She said: “He also told me he’d discovered an indoor swimming pool and a sauna in the hotel, which he was absolutely made up about. He said it felt like a little hidden bonus somewhere he could properly chill out before everything kicks off in the jungle.
“He was laughing that it was the last bit of luxury he’d get before heading into camp.”
She said her son was a big softie at heart and particularly enjoyed a trip to a koala sanctuary.
His mum added: “He said it was unbelievable he was grinning ear to ear telling me about the animals.
“You could hear the excitement in his voice; it was like a big kid living his dream getting that close to the animals.”
Ginge has previously told how his upbringing made people relate to him more.
He said: “I think it’s gone down well because people can relate that I’ve come from the same place they’ve come from. I’ve come from a council estate and I know what they go through and have been through and can bond with them and get to know them more on a personal level.”
He still lives in Manchester but last year was able to buy his own home.
He previously rented a ‘s***hole’ apartment with no shower and peeling wallpaper for £350 a month in order to save up for a deposit.
Speaking to the Mirror in the days before going into the jungle, he admitted he was “nervous” about meeting the rest of the cast as he doesn’t consider himself a celebrity.
He said: “I’ve never classed myself as a celebrity. So going up and meeting other people that actually are celebrities, that’s quite nerve-wracking in itself.
“I’ve got a feeling I might get a little bit of imposter syndrome, and then hopefully it eases off the longer we’re in there.”
