COMMUNITY leaders are backing Duncan Bannatyne to win I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here to raise money for a children's charity.

The Darlington-based entrepreneur and Dragon's Den star has been competing in bushtucker trials in the popular ITV series for two weeks.

All TV fees from his time in the Australian jungle will go to the charity Operation Smile which provides free surgery to repair cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities for children around the globe.

Mr Bannatyne's generous decision has won the backing of Darlington Borough Council's leader Bill Dixon and the MP for Darlington Jenny Chapman for him to be crowned the Jungle King.

Mr Dixon shared a photo of himself holding a 'vote Duncan' poster on Twitter with the caption: "I'm voting @DuncanBannatyne great charity worth your vote @JennyChapman @darloforculture @dton_ingenuity"

Ms Chapman retweeted the image with the caption: "He's supporting a great charity, I'll be voting @DuncanBannatyne"

Mr Bannatyne, who is an ambassador of the charity, recently visited Vietnam with Operation Smile, following previous trips to Mexico to see for himself the life-changing work being carried out by the charity.

The health club tycoon's TV fee donations will help 125 children with facial deformities.

Mr Bannatyne's daughter Jenny Bannatyne said: "We are all so proud of Dad and overwhelmed with the support he is receiving from people, particularly in and around Darlington.

"To see the council leader and MP Tweeting support is amazing. Please everyone vote for Dad he’d be a brilliant King of the Jungle."

Mr Bannatyne's current odds to win the show are 50/1 while Essex reality star Ferne McCann is the favourite at 6/1 and Union J boyband member George Shelley is on 6/4.

On the live elimination on Monday (November 30), the entrepreneur was voted in the bottom two with Most Haunted presenter Yvette Fielding, but Ms Fielding was ultimately voted off.

A celebrity will be voted off every evening this week and the final will reportedly air on Sunday, December 6.

Operation Smile is an international children’s medical charity, which has provided more than 240,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with facial deformities.

The charity trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries and also donates medical equipment and supplies.