MCFLY bassist Dougie Poynter has been crowned king of the jungle, beating newfound friend and fellow Essex boy Mark Wright in the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! final.

The 24-year-old, born and brought up in Corringham, beat the odds as well as The Only Way Is Essex star to win the ITV1 show.

But after 22 days together in the jungle, the pair left as firm friends.

Mark, also 24, said: “There couldn't be a better winner than this man here.

“He deserves it so much, he is the nicest guy in the whole world.”

Before Saturday’s final vote, bookmakers William Hill had installed Mark as the 2/5 odds-on favourite to win, with Dougie the 15/8 outsider.

But the talented musician, whose hits include Five Colours in Her Hair, Obviously and It’s All About You, was propelled to victory on a wave of public support.

He said: “I'm lost for words, my mouth is so dry.

“These have been the best couple of weeks of my life, I wish everybody in the world could experience that.”

The pair’s last day in the jungle together seemed to seal their "bro-mance" - they took part in their final Bushtucker trial, dubbed The Final Party, to play for their last supper of the show.

They succeeded in winning a slap-up meal for themselves after managing to stomach delicacies such as fish eyes, ostrich anuses, and bush pig penises - despite both admitting they later vomited.

After devouring garlic pizza bread, lasagne, pizza and pasta, followed by a tower of chocolate brownies with vanilla ice-cream and a large sticky toffee pudding, the new friends settled down for their final night in the camp.

Mark said: “I couldn't wish to share the night with anyone else, Dougie is a special person.”

Dougie will return to his home county next year to perform with McFly at the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff.

Tickets for the concert, on April 4, are already on sale.