EXCLUSIVE Sam Thompson gives a major update on his relationship with Samie Elishi as he kicks off first day of gruelling Soccer Aid challenge
Sam Thompson has given an update on his relationship with Samie Elishi as he kicked off the first day of his intense Soccer Aid challenge on Monday.
The I'm A Celeb star, 32, has been given the task to travel a mammoth 260-mile journey on both bike and foot to deliver the match ball to its new home in Old Trafford, with the hope of raising much-needed funds for Unicef.
To complete the challenge, Sam is expected to run a marathon for five days and cycle in between, ensuring the ball arrives on June 6, just in time for kickoff on Sunday, June 15.
While his sister Louise and her partner Ryan Libbey were present at the starting line to show their support, Samie was notably absent.
Speaking just moments ahead of the challenge, Sam revealed that several close friends, including best mate Jamie Laing, have remained tight-lipped about whether they'll join him along the way.
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However, he did confirm whether or not Samie, who he has been dating since April, will be making an appearance.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Sam said: Throughout the experience, I hope there'll be a few people.'
When asked directly if Samie would be making an appearance, he responded: 'I feel like... this is so much more than info I dating or hooking up with.
'And I feel like it would take away from what it is going on. You know what I mean?
'You know, If I had a wife or something like, like a girlfriend of years it might be a different, I just think that I don't want to do anything that will take away from this.
'Like, this challenge and the Unicef And the spotlight needs to be on them. Like, I'm literally a vehicle.
'That's how I'm seeing it. I'm, like, just a thing that is running to try and make money, so I want to keep it that way.'
Elsewhere in the chat, Sam opened up about what he believes will be the biggest challenge he'll face over the next five days.
He said: 'The hard part of this challenge is gonna be the fear of not completing it.
'That that will, is and will always be the hardest thing in my head is the fear of injury and not being able to play it.
'I just, I have to be able to get of course I finish line.
'And like, you've seen how many people are here. Like, I just letting people down is my biggest week, like, my fear of letting you down a big sweeter, so that is terrifying to me.'
Last month, Sam opened up about his autism diagnosis, and when asked how he thinks it might impact his journey, he shared candidly: 'I can find it really had to stick to one thing, that's really tough, especially when you have ADHD.
'You know, there's always something else to do and always, you know, here there and everywhere. You overthink everything. you think ahead a lot.
'I've been very much doing that. Yeah.. The hper focus is something that I'm hoping will actually help.
'I don't know what it's going to be like when I'm actually, like, out there. Like, I don't know how I'm going to be in my own head. I'm really worried about my own head.
'I've never really, as I said, done anything like this before, so I don't know what money my brain is going to be, right.
'Yeah. I' be worried about that, actually. You know, I get that, is that definitely a mental challenge.
'I'm just start talking to myself and like.. And with your thoughts. Yeah, and I'm quite weak mentally, actually.'
As for his reason for taking part in this massive challenge, Sam explained: 'This challenge, to be honest with you, 'cause I went to Gosemala means so much more than I ever expected.
'And I was banging, I don't know if anyone knows, I was banging on Unicef's door to allow me to do one of those trips.
'And help in any way I could. But this obviously wasn't on the agenda at that point. So to be able to go there and do and see the work they do.
'I can't tell it's beautiful. And not in a way that I expected.
'Like, I kind of went out there, expecting, you know, sadness and that was the sort of general message of the day.
'It wasn't that at all. It was optimism, it was hope, it was joy in these children's eyes, like we really, like the bare minimum but so happy, so hopeful.
'And it's like, if we can just give them, I know this sounds so crazy, but if you, can they just give him, like, the smallest platform, they will take that and run with it.
'I'm saying this now, they'll be Prime ministers. They'll be astros. They'll be like everything that we said we were going to be when we were kids.
'They're going to do it.'
Last month, Sam has shared an exclusive video diary from his trip to Guatemala, where he got the chance to see the work of a UNICEF supported project.
His five day challenge is also set to feature in an ITV documentary, which will be broadcast on June 13.
This year, thanks to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, every donation made to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million.
To donate visit socceraid.org.uk/challenge
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