Michael Bassingthwaighte has run a successful business for more than three decades and been named an Illawarra Business Person of the Year.
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Despite all his experience nothing could prepare the father of four for the nervous wait he and his family faced after daughter Natalie Bassingthwaighte made it through to the final three of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
Natalie is in the running to become the first Queen of the Jungle on the popular reality show on Monday night and Michael admits to being nervous.
He and Natalie’s three sisters Nicole, Lisa and Melinda will all be glued to the television for the announcement.
“It is really exciting. We are obviously proud of her. I think she has done wonderfully well,” Michael said.
“This is day 45 plus she was there a couple of days before. So it has been a pretty exhausting and grueling time I think. But she looks to be enjoying herself. And I am sure she has made some lifelong friends. I think she has become very good friends with Lisa Curry. That is really nice for her.”
Natalie, 41, lives in Melbourne but most of her family still live in the Illawarra.
Michael is the chief executive officer of Peoplecare and has been following her journey closely on WIN Television for the last six weeks.
He said it was particularly moving watching the emotional scenes on Sunday night when Natalie was reunited with husband Cameron McGlinchey and young children Harper and Hendrix.
“When I saw her husband and the two little ones there last night I got a little tear in the eye. It is very exciting. I can’t wait for tonight,” he said.
Asked if he thought his daughter could become the first female winner of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here he said “any one of the final three would be a deserving winner but we are going to go for the Wollongong girl”.
“Clearly there must be a lot of people everywhere voting for Natalie for her to get down to this level,” he said.
“And I am hoping Wollongong will get behind her today and pass a few votes her way. 1995 10 10 is the number.”
The singer, actress and TV host grew up in Mount Warrigal and got her big break in 2003 when she played the role of Izzy Hoyland on Neighbours.
She went on to prove her versatility as lead singer of the Rogue Traders, host of So You Think You Can Dance Australia and judge and mentor on The X Factor
Natalie made it to the final three of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here on Sunday night when comedian Nazeem Hussain was voted out of the jungle.
That means the final voting on Monday is between former Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan and Collingwood premiership champion and Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan and Bassingthwaighte.
Voting is as simple as sending a text with the word NATALIE to 1995 10 10.
To vote for Natalie SMS NAT to 1995 10 10.
If she wins $100,000 will be donated to her charity of choice, the Sister to Sister program which provides mentoring for at-risk teenage girls.
Voting closes at 7.45pm tonight!
