They grew up strangers in deprived council estates on opposite sides of Manchester.
But now they are set to appear on ITV’s biggest entertainment show in the Australian jungle in front of millions of viewers, marking their mainstream debut as I’m a Celebrity’s ‘ultimate duo’.
Brit Award rapper Aitch, 25, and YouTube sensation AngryGinge, 23, are perhaps less well known to I’m A Celeb’s typical audiences but producers, I am told, are ‘over the moon’ about the double signing.
As one TV insider told me: ‘After the success of GK Barry last year pulling in that Gen Z audience, bosses thought why just have one social media star, why not two?
‘But it was a stroke of pure genius to sign up Aitch and Ginge, they’re best friends and it might be a risk as they’re both so boisterous but it’s new and nothing I’m A Celeb has seen before – it’s a risk that will pay off.
‘Their banter and chemistry is off the charts, we’re over the moon about them both agreeing and doing what they do on the internet but in the Jungle, it’s bound to be a success.
From growing up on deprived council estates to appearing on ITV’s biggest entertainment show: How Aitch (left) and AngryGinge (right) are set to become I’m A Celeb’s ‘ultimate duo’
‘It will be like nothing I’m A Celeb has seen before, a fully formed bromance which will be electric entertainment.
‘Their relatability means they certainly know their audience and they certainly know how to make good TV.’
After months of denying he was going on the ITV prime time show, AngryGinge, who is set to be a favourite among fans, touched down in Brisbane Airport from Manchester this week, with Aitch not far behind him.
Harrison Armstrong, 25, better known by his rap name Aitch, was educated at a Catholic school in New Moston, a deprived borough to the North East of the City.
Half an hour drive away, Morgan Burtwistle, two years younger than Aitch and more commonly referred to as AngryGinge on TikTok, was raised in Eccles in a single parent household on £12,500 a year for him and his sister.
Harrison had grown up with aspirations to become a Kickboxer, but he started rapping to entertain his friends on the estate, which eventually led to a viral video in 2018 of his freestyle, ‘Straight Rhymz’.
He now boasts 20 top ten singles in the UK, a Brit Award and is worth an estimated £3.8milion.
During this time, Morgan’s mother, who is a hardworking mental health carer, was struggling to support her two children so he moved in with his grandparents aged 17.
Harrison Armstrong, 25, better known by his rap name Aitch, was educated at a Catholic school in New Moston, a deprived borough to the North East of the City
Half an hour drive away, Morgan Burtwistle, two years younger than Aitch and more commonly referred to as AngryGinge on TikTok, was raised in Eccles in a single parent household on £12,500 a year for him and his sister (pictured with Wayne Rooney)Â
The future social media sensation attended Padgate Academy with the now darts superstar, Luke Littler, who Morgan considers a close friend along with Aitch.
It was during a game of Monopoly in Blackpool when, as a teen, Morgan was hoarding all the cash and his grandfather said ‘He’s going to be a business man one day’.
It was then he realised he wanted to pursue his dream of being a social media star and after his grandfather’s death in 2021, AngryGinge was born – a now internet giant famed for live streaming on the video platforms Twitch and TikTok.
Over four years Morgan has amassed two million followers and earns more than £40,000 a month making videos from his bedroom in his Manchester home.
But the internet sensation is adamant he is ‘not famous’.
He said: ‘I don’t think any content creator is famous, I don’t like the word, but what made me known in the space could be anything from my good looks, charisma or sense of humour. No, if I’m honest, it was my Twitch chat.’
It was social media that started both these men’s careers and it’s social media that brought them together, as the Daily Mail can reveal the close friendship between Aitch and AngryGinge. Often seen collaborating on YouTube videos such as ‘Aitch and Ginge on dating sites’ and ‘Tays and Ginge help Aitch find love’ with their mutual friend and fellow Mancunion rapper, Tays.
While Tays and Aitch grew up together, their parents having been best friends, Morgan and the Rain rapper met through the social media scene and have been close since 2021.
‘It will be like nothing I’m A Celeb has seen before, a fully formed bromance which will be electric entertainment’
Regularly hanging out at one another’s houses, they also go on live streams on Twitch and TikTok from their individual homes and hurl insults in jest at one another which has proved a hit with their Gen Z fans.
A major focus of their ‘banter’ is making inappropriate jokes about each others’ mothers, which they say they can only do because they are close enough friends.
As one fan put it on TikTok: ‘Ginge and Aitch slewing each other’s mams on national TV is going to be so funny.’
Live streams are real-time broadcasts, originally focused on video games but now encompass other categories including music, and viewers can interact with streamers and other viewrs through the chat function.
Contributors can support creators through subscriptions or donations – Morgan has previously admitted he wished he had started earlier so he could support his mother and stop her from moving homes.
Morgan leapt to his friend’s defence when fellow British rapper, Central Cee, made a ‘diss track’ about Aitch in January in which a lyric reads: ‘I felt like a pr*ck when I went to the BRITs they gave the award to a guy called Aitch.’
Listening to the track called, 5 Star, on a Twitch live stream, Morgan said: ‘Is that it? You’ve acted it up like he’s gone at Aitch, he’s dissed Aitch, I’ve got my chest buffed up here, ready to go to all out war for me mate, and he says that.
‘Don’t waste my time again.’
He then proceeded to voice note Aitch, in which he said: ‘Hiya mate, just a quick one, I’ve heard what’s been going on about this Central Cee song. Obviously, I’m here ready to go to war for you mate, just let me know what sort of vibe it is.
‘If it’s kind of, we’re just going to leave it and see what happens, or if you want me to get the f***ing baseball bat out and we’re f***ing going at it, you just let me know mate all right, nice one, see what he says there.’
Like everything on social media, this was no doubt played up for his millions of fans tuning into the live stream, but let’s hope the same code of conduct does not apply if either of them have a tiff with one of their campmates.
