I’m A Celebrity’s Ruthie Henshall once dated Prince Edward – how long were they together?

Ruthie Henshall has spoken about her time dating Prince Edward ahead of joining I’m A Celebrity.

Before joining the camp, the Olivier award winner revealed she won’t be scared if there are any spooky trials because she has had a prank played on her before by the Royal family.

Ruthie – famous for playing the lead roles in hit West End musicals including Chicago – says they played the joke on her when she was staying with them by a loch in Scotland.

What happened between Ruthie Henshall and Prince Edward?

Ruthie dated Prince Edward on and off for five years when she was younger and remains good friends with him, even attending his wedding to Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

The pair had met while Ruthie was performing in West End musical Cats in 1987.

She explained: “I got jumped out on by Charles and Edward when I was having a cook out with them!

“They told me there were ghosts in this particular place and when I went to the toilet with a candle – as there was no electricity – they waited for me to come out and then jumped out on me!

“I screamed the place down! I may well have woken Victoria! They were hilarious.”

Adding she has visited some of the Royal’s palaces in the past, she added: “I visited a couple of their castles but this will be a very different kind of castle!”

Asked if the Queen and Prince Edward would be watching her, Ruthie replied: “I have no idea whether they watch or not.

“But I am sure they enjoy reality TV as much as the rest of us!”

Ruthie continued: “I am really looking forward to going in. I have been doing the same thing, which I adore, for 35 years and now I want to shake my life up a bit!

“I have also got two teenagers and I can’t wait to get away from them! What’s worse – living with two teenagers or going in a castle – thank you very much, I will take the castle!”

Explaining her friend and former I’m A Celebrity star, John Barrowman, persuaded her to do the programme, the 53-year-old said “John was the one who told me I should go in.

“And so he is to blame whether it is good or bad!”

I’m A Celebrity continues nightly on ITV.