Which Aussies did Barry Williams hope to find in the jungle? | Television tonight

He was the only American this year I’m a celebrity, get me out of herebut Barry Williams had no idea which Australians he would be sharing his camp with.

And, understandably, even less idea who most of them were.

“I was hoping Naomi Watts would show up or Margot Robbie. A Wiggle would have been great… Anthony, because I know he’s very active and kind of the glue for The Wiggles” he said.

“Guy Pearce would have been good, Russell Crowe, if he wasn’t busy.

“Except for Margo and Naomi, that was the group Hey hey, it’s Saturday when I did it. That’s how I met The Wiggles and Russell. And Kylie Minogue was there.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, and I didn’t know anyone.

“There’s been something in my head since I was a teenager, about Africa, living in the jungle, going on safari, kind of that whole world. So this just seemed like the best possible way to create that experience, living in the jungle. There’s actually a lot of safety around it because the camp has (crew). It was a great adventure.”

Williams, who rose to fame as Greg Brady in the iconic film Brady Bos sitcom, had seen Maureen McCormick’s 2015 episodes, but he has yet to talk to her about their latest shared experience.

Immersing yourself in Africa with Australians was an offer too good to refuse.

“It sounds like I’m being patronizing, but I’ve been to Australia three times and I love the atmosphere. I love the people. I’ve always had really good experiences there. I did a concert tour there. I’ve climbed over the bridge twice, been to Taronga Zoo, you know, so the whole thing just appealed to me. I knew it would be difficult, but the real seller for me was being off the grid.”

But the jungle is full of character building challenges, prudish food tests and the vibrant nature surrounding the camp.

“If you stare at the ground long enough, it comes to life. There’s a lot going on there. I mean, they said to you, and I listened, don’t walk to the bathroom without your boots on,” he continues.

“And you know, they can’t keep everything out. A monkey came in and almost crawled over me.”

“I’m so grateful that I was very open to that experience because when you’re off-grid there’s really nothing to do. We were responsible for the camp, but that doesn’t last all day, every day. There was a lot of time to bond, a lot of time to get to know people. I spent some really good quality time with Dyson, Nate, Concetta, especially Gary. Gary Sweet and I really have a friendship that I’m pretty sure will extend beyond the show. I’ve already invited him to come to the United States with his family, and it looks like that’s going to happen.

“It’s like diving into people’s psyches, who they are, what their motivations are. You get to know people quickly and not just superficially, because no one comes in with a lot of attitude. Maybe one or two, but overall there’s just no attitude. We just cut through it. We all have the same toothpaste, razors and clothes, so it’s a very level playing field.”

Williams names Gary Sweet, Concetta Caristo and Mia Fevola as potential series winners, but his money is on former NRL player Luke Bateman is called ‘King of the Jungle’.

“It’s in his bones somehow. He’s a farm boy, and he’s right on the fire, he can cook, he can handle anything. Dyson is the same way, but Dyson is of course a little more refined, and Luke looks like he’s ready to put on a bearskin and brave the jungle.”

I’m a celebrity, get me out of here may be the toughest, but it’s not the only reality show on his resume. It is now next to it Dancing with the stars, the masked singer and even Famous wife swap. A ‘Brady’ for life, it’s an association he has happily embraced and has kept him working, especially in musicals in the US.

“When we finished making the show, aside from the multiple reunions, that Brady experience was mostly brought to me by the viewers. They see me in this specific way. So that’s not where my mindset was, or trying to get away from it,” he explains.

“I immediately went to the theater and did 86 cities on a Pippin tour and I am name before title, and generally in productions that I do.

“Radio, afternoon talk shows, morning talk shows, evening talk shows, magazines, all that stuff… what’s the first question I get asked? It’s always Brady because that’s relatable to them and their audience.

“So I’ve always talked about it, and I’ve had some very good experiences with the people. We maintain our friendships to this day. I’ve been doing this for two and a half years, The real Brady Bros with Christopher Knight (“Peter Brady”), a podcast, an episodic recap, where we watched all the shows and dissected them together.

“So I’ve been very fond of it, and honestly it may have shaped my career, but I don’t really feel like it’s gotten in the way of me having a very full career.”

There are even precious memories The Brady Bunch Variety Houra nine-episode singing, dancing and synchronized swimming series produced by Sid & Marty Krofft in 1976.

“I loved it!” he declares: “My favorite, I think, I can’t tell you how fun that was. I mean, we had Tina Turner. Milton Berle comes in, Rich Little, Paul Williams is there. Farrah Fawcett shows up. I mean, it was so cool. The show was ’70s camp and they treated it like a puppet show. And we were! So on that level it was silly,” he continues.

“But on a production level, and working on it, I loved it. Sid lives in California, and I was there about three weeks ago and visited him… he’s still got some recovery from surgery. But anyway, I had a really nice conversation with him. So I loved doing the variety show.”

Next up for Williams is a return to the Brady universe.

“The Brady Gang house is about to become a National Historic Landmark. So I’m going to be leading some tours where people can come and tour,” he reveals.

On I’m a celebrity he adds, “But I remain glued to watching the show to find out what happened. Because I have no idea what happened. If you go, you go, and you’re now in the code of silence. I don’t hear anything. So I’m very excited to see how it all turns out.”

I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here airs Sunday to Wednesday at 10.