"Please get me out of here," Leeming cried during the challenge

She wailed after being lowered down a mine shaft and told to grapple with rats and toads for points which would earn meals for the 10 participants.

But she failed the task, leaving some of her fellow contestants lacking food.

Producers have promised there will be tougher "bushtucker trials" in this new series of the ITV1 show.

Meanwhile Lemming's fellow contestant David Gest, estranged husband of Liza Minnelli, has wasted no time in insulting his fellow celebrities.

'Ironing board face'

He revealed he was furious with Tony Blair's sister-in-law Lauren Booth for saying he had an "ironing board face" in a pre-series interview.

As a result, he insulted her during a conversation with DJ Toby Anstis - with whom Gest sang a karaoke duet of You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' by the Righteous Brothers.

David Gest went from 33/1 to 16/1 in a few hours at Ladbrokes

Gest also made suggestive remarks about impressionist Faith Brown and singer Myleene Klass in their Australian jungle hideaway.

And he bragged about his famous friends, claiming to have warned pop star Michael Jackson he had undergone too much plastic surgery.

Singer Jason Donovan has been the favourite with bookmakers to win the three-week show, but it has now emerged that many punters have been betting on Gest over the weekend.

"He's doing something right, although we're not sure what," said Nick Weinberg of Ladbrokes.

Leeming - who admitted she had never seen the show before agreeing to appear on it - fetched three stars out of the 10 which were hidden down the mine shaft.