Gillian McKeith has been confirmed as the latest celebrity on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa.
The new all star series kicked off tonight on ITV1 with nine former campmates returning to compete to be crowned the first ever I’m A Celebrity Legend.
But the end of the opening episode saw a surprise arrival as Gillian McKeith made an entrance into camp.
The TV personality famously ‘fainted’ live on TV after being voted to take part in one trial during her original time in the jungle in 2010.
On returning to the camp, Gillian says she hopes to represent ‘all the scaredy cats in Britain’.
However she insists her fainting episode was not made up so she could get out of doing another tough Bushtucker Trial.
“I have a history of fainting since childhood,” she says, “The day before we did the live Trial, I hadn’t had much to eat and I wasn’t feeling very well – which is the precursor to passing out. I have fainted several times and not just in the jungle.
“I even fainted at a wedding once when I was the bridesmaid. They were about to say: ‘do you take this man to be your husband?’ and I passed out.
“Sometimes you can stop yourself if you get close to the ground but the problem with the jungle is there were all these leeches and so there was no way I was going to throw myself on the ground.
“But I have never been able to forget about my fainting in the jungle! I have been reminded about I’m A Celebrity every single day since I came out by taxi drivers and people in the street! They all talk about it as if it were yesterday. They say I was entertaining. It might have been for them but it certainly wasn’t for me!”
Gillian adds: “Now when I think about doing I’m A Celebrity again, I feel apprehensive and petrified. It’s going to be more terrifying this time because back then, I didn’t know what to expect but this time I can’t use that as an excuse.
“What I felt before feels 1000 times worse now and all of it freaks me out but I feel I’ve got a calling to represent all the scaredy cats in Britain – and that is the reason why I’ve said yes.”
I’m A Celebrity…South Africa continues tomorrow night at 9PM and all this week on ITV1 and ITVX.
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