Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte Tutton

Hollie Arnold hopes to inspire I'm A Celebrity viewers after Paralympic success

Hollie Arnold MBE has said she doesn't want I'm A Celebrity 2020 to focus on her disability, while she hopes to inspire viewers to achieve their dreams.

The Paralympian, 26, has won Gold for javelin at the Paralympic, World, Commonwealth and European championships.

Her impressive credentials as an athlete could prove a disadvantage though, she confessed, as she's used to an intake of more calories as fuel for training - while the ITV series hosted by Ant and Dec often sees the celebrities missing out on meals.

But that hasn't put her off, with the new campmate hoping to do well - while also hoping to encourage viewers never to give up on their dreams.

Hollie Arnold MBE is confirmed for I'm A Celebrity 2020 (ITV)

Hollie, who was awarded an MBE for her services to field athletics in 2017, said: "I don’t want it to be about my disability.

"Yes I have a missing arm and I am in the Paralympics but I want to show people nothing stops me and it shouldn’t stop anyone else either."

She added: "I hope by going on the programme, it inspires people. I want people to look and see that I am scared but I am giving it a go."

Athletics champion Hollie hopes to inspire viewers (Getty Images)

Hollie also described herself as an "underdog" but hopes her fellow campmates will understand her achievements once they get to know her.

She explained: "I am really looking forward to meeting people.

"They won’t know me and so there is the feeling of being an underdog, but hopefully by sharing my stories, people will get to understand what I have achieved."

The full line-up has been announced for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (ITV)

Hollie hopes her skills and experience in athletics will come in to good use for the Bushtucker Trials.

She said: "People might see me as someone who wins medals in sport, and I just hope I can use my independence and the pressures I go through with athletics in the camp and the trials!"

On why she's hoping to get those meals for camp, she confessed she can become "hangry" if she isn't well fed.

She said: "As an athlete, you have to intake a lot more calories as you have to fuel yourself for training, and so it is going to be really hard to limit calories.

"I am not going to lie, I am probably going to be hangry Hollie but I will do my best to get myself and my team mates fed."

I'm A Celebrity 2020 launches on Sunday November 15, on ITV.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.