‘He always wants perfect’: Sir Mo Farah’s wife Tania Nell confirms her husband hates to lose

I’m A Celeb’s Sir Mo Farah admitted he was ‘disappointed’ in himself despite bagging an impressive nine out of twelve stars during his very first solo trial on Friday.

And his wife, Tania Nell, acknowledged that her husband, 37, ‘always wants to perfect any challenge,’ so anything less than top marks would be considered a ‘failure’. 

The mother-of-four said she was in fits of laughter when watching the show, and was surprised how scared Mo was when he was knocked down by fish guts and covered in critters during the Fort Locks challenge.

Defeat: I’m A Celebrity’s Sir Mo Farah said he was ‘disappointed’ with his first solo trial and wife Tania Nell, confirmed Mo aims for perfect and would see his score of nine out of twelve stars as a ‘failure’

On Saturday’s episode of I’m A Celebrity… The Daily Drop, she said: ‘I was crying laughing. I just thought it was brilliant. 

‘I didn’t think he’d react as scared as he did – he didn’t know what was in there so probably thought it was snakes in every box. 

‘9 out of 12 [stars] is not bad. He’s always looking for the maximum, he always wants to perfect any challenge he does – so for him anything less than 12 would have been a failure, but that’s just the way he thinks. 

‘Even with board games with the kids – he doesn’t want to lose at anything.’  

Entertained: The mother-of-four (pictured in 2018) said she was in fits of laughter and was surprised how scared her husband, 37, was during the Fort Locks challenge on Friday

Entertained: The mother-of-four (pictured in 2018) said she was in fits of laughter and was surprised how scared her husband, 37, was during the Fort Locks challenge on Friday

Following Jordan North’s triumphant trial on Thursday in which he won 12 stars, the public decided to turn their focus on someone else and voted for Mo to do Friday’s trial.

Ahead of the task, the athlete expressed his concerns about what he could be facing as he said: ‘I hate not knowing’.    

As he entered the trial area, Mo was forced to retrieve stars that were locked within ‘hell holes’ built into the caste walls, using colour coded keys on the opposite wall to open the locks.

He faced stinking fish guts, locusts, cockroaches, and crayfish, before hundreds of maggots rained down on him. 

Candid: On Saturday's I'm A Celebrity... The Daily Drop, she said: '9 out of 12 [stars] is not bad. He’s always looking for the maximum, he always wants to perfect any challenge he does'

Candid: On Saturday’s I’m A Celebrity… The Daily Drop, she said: ‘9 out of 12 [stars] is not bad. He’s always looking for the maximum, he always wants to perfect any challenge he does’

As Mo retrieved his ninth star, he unfortunately ran out of time and stated he was ‘scared and terrified’ throughout. 

Reflecting on the hardest part of the trial, the deflated athlete said it was: ‘just not knowing [what was] on the other side’. 

His wife Tania confirmed he is definitely out of his comfort zone at the Gwrych castle, in North Wales.  

She said: ‘It’s a really different environment for him. Eat, sleep, train that’s been his life for the past 12 years. To do something like this takes him out of his comfort zone. 

‘I wasn’t sure how he’d get on. Reality TV is not something he’s ever done before, so I was nervous for him and I know he was nervous but he seems to have settled in quite well, which is nice.’

Tania revealed that Mo has an intense fear of snakes, and seeing him with the reptile around his shoulders during a live trial was satisfying to watch. 

She continued: ‘That was probably my favourite part of the show – I’ve been waiting for him to face a snake for years, it’s his biggest fear by far. 

‘He’s petrified by them. I saw it on his face. It was like he went into a trance. He froze. It was like he’d left his head for a minute, I just thought that was brilliant.’

The couple tied the knot in 2010 in Richmond, London, and are parents to twins, Aisha and Amani, eight, son Hussein, five, and Tania’s daughter, Rhianna, 15, from a previous relationship. 

According to the mother-of-four, the kids love watching their father on the TV. 

Family matters: The couple tied the knot in 2010 and are parents to twins, Aisha and Amani, eight, son Hussein, five, and Tania's daughter, Rhianna, 15, from a previous relationship

Family matters: The couple tied the knot in 2010 and are parents to twins, Aisha and Amani, eight, son Hussein, five, and Tania’s daughter, Rhianna, 15, from a previous relationship

She added: ‘They miss him obviously, but the fact they’re able to see him. When he’s in training camp he’s up in the mountains and we don’t get to see him on screen, so they go months without seeing him. 

‘It’s nice that they can tune in every night and watch him on the telly so they know where he is and what he’s doing, which has been nice for them.’

When asked if she believes Mo could win the show, she responded: ‘We haven’t thought that far ahead. 

‘It would be nice obviously but as long as he survives through it and wins as many stars as possible, who knows? 

‘He didn’t really go in with any expectations for where he’d finish, he just wanted to face his fears and do some new challenges. I think it would be great if he did, if he doesn’t it’s just been a great experience.’

King of the castle? When asked if she think Mo could win the show, Tania responded: 'We haven’t thought that far ahead' but admitted it would be great if he did

King of the castle? When asked if she think Mo could win the show, Tania responded: ‘We haven’t thought that far ahead’ but admitted it would be great if he did 

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