"Jungle Queen" Stacey Solomon's father has said her refusal to attack any of her camp mates is one of the reasons she won I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

David Solomon, a wedding photographer, said he was "ecstatic" that Stacey, a former X Factor finalist, had won the ITV show.

He said: "She never got involved in any bitching. We were talking about [controversial fellow contestant and diet coach] Gillian McKeith on the way back from the airport in the car and she stuck up for her, she said she was a lovely person. That is really important, to be able to hold your head up high. She made me very proud.

"I always expected her to win, but then, I expected her to win X Factor. I'd be a loser dad if I didn't."

Mr Solomon said Stacey's personality had won her fans in Australia too. "She met a lady in the bush who said: 'Stacey, I will light my Chanucah candle for you as well.'"

The 21-year-old former King Solomon High School student from Dagenham, spent three weeks in the Australian jungle where she undertook tasks including sitting in a bath of mealworms and crickets.

Mr Solomon said: "If you could have seen how arachnophobic she was before she went in the jungle, you'd have laughed your head off. We thought it was hilarious.

"She's not too bad with other animals but if she saw even a little spider she'd go mental. She overcame that fear and she didn't make a fool of herself. I was impressed."

After coming third in the X Factor, Stacey did not win a record contract but Mr Solomon said she was looking at different options.

"Maybe she'll go down the TV route first, then if she does bring out an album, it'll be a classic. That way she'll be a star for life, and not just for Chanucah."