'King' Tony back from the jungle

A triumphant Tony Blackburn arrived at Heathrow today for an emotional reunion with his family after two weeks of TV "torture".

The veteran DJ - crowned winner on Sunday of ITV1's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here - looked happy and relaxed as he stepped off the plane.

He said he was "pleasantly shocked" by the renewed public interest as he was mobbed by camera crews and photographers - bringing back memories of his Sixties heyday.

Fellow contestants Uri Geller and Nell McAndrew arrived back on the same flight as Blackburn - but were all but ignored by the press pack.

Blackburn, who won the most important ratings battle of his career when almost one million viewers called in to support him against fellow finalist Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, was met by his agent at Terminal 4. He was then whisked off to see his wife Debbie and five-year-old daughter Victoria, understood to be waiting in a car outside.

The 59-year-old Capital Gold DJ said: "It feels fantastic to be back. The show was really tough but I had absolutely no idea how popular it was. I've been working non-stop on radio for years but all of a sudden it's as though people realise I'm still breathing. I can't wait to look through all the newspapers and see the coverage. I think it will be quite hard to take in - people say we've been on the front page constantly."

Blackburn said his time on the reality game show in the Australian rainforest had been "torture" and admitted he could not have stuck it out much longer. He said: "It was like being in prison. I had no control over the show. I'm delighted it's over and proud I won, but I couldn't have taken much more. The constant arguing really got to me. The toughest part was probably having to live on rice and beans - although I got used to it in the end and I managed to lose one and a half stone. It was also tough trying to keep the bedding warm and dry."

Debbie Blackburn, 41, said yesterday that her husband had already made a tearful call home. She said: "The first phone call was very emotional. I said 'I love you and I'm very proud of you' and we didn't say much else apart from that. We were both just blubbing down the phone. He's missed Victoria like mad."

More than 12 million people tuned in to see Blackburn crowned King of the Jungle in the final poll. The show has sparked renewed interest in a man long derided for his corny jokes and dated style.

His agent Nick Canham said: "The phone hasn't stopped ringing over the last week. We have had all sorts of offers flooding in from TV, radio to adverts. There is even a chance that he may resume his short-lived pop career. I understand bookies are taking bets on him having a Christmas number one - there are no plans yet but it's definitely something we'll be looking into." Mr Canham added: "I think the public love him because he didn't bitch or argue, he was just himself and he came across very well."

Jane Asher, president of the National Autistic Society - the charity chosen by Blackburn to benefit from the £100,000-plus raised by his win - congratulated him and said: "This is a fantastic and generous contribution."

Mrs Blackburn, meanwhile, ended up in an argument with PR man Max Clifford today after he accused her husband of wearing a wig. The pair clashed as they featured on ITV1's This Morning to discuss the success of the survival show.

"I think it's one of those stitch-on jobs," Clifford told viewers. He said if the DJ admitted it, he might help wig-wearers.

"Ten years ago I was an epileptic - no one talked about it, it's a taboo - so I stood up and talked about it and that helped people. If he's wearing a syrup what's wrong with that?"

Mrs Blackburn shot back: "Why have you never said this to his face?" Clifford responded that he hadn't seen him for a decade but she replied: "I recently saw you when I was with Tony." The PR agent pledged: "When I see him, I promise I will ask him - is it a syrup or not?"