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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney & Nia Dalton

I'm A Celeb stars' rocky years since jungle - cancer, Prince Harry feud, anti-vaxxer

ITV's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! is back with a twist, with the long-running series celebrating its 20th anniversary by sending familiar faces into the jungle for the second time.

Iconic stars like Helen Flanagan, Shaun Ryder and Gillian McKeith are back sleeping in hammocks, challenging their biggest fears and eating rice and beans to compete for the legendary title.

Since the last time the celebs appeared on our screens, their lives have changed a lot - from starting new careers and families to battling health scares and public feuds.

As we watch it all unfold in South Africa, we take a look at what the two-time celebrity campers have experienced since their first stint on the nation's favourite show.

Gillian McKeith

Gillian, also known as Dr Poo, has appeared on many TV shows and channels (ITV)
Gillian controversially supported anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protestors in 2021 (ITV)

Gillian McKeith's life has been very interesting since becoming a household name following her initial appearance on I'm A Celebrity in 2010, when she was famed for fainting on air.

The television star, who was once dubbed Dr Poo, has had her own shows and cameo appearances on Celebrity Big Brother, flogged personalised videos on Cameo as well as taking to TikTok.

Eight years after appearing on I'm A Celebrity, Gillian attempted to launch a new career as a catwalk model at London Fashion Week.

Gillian, 63, also brushed shoulders with the Beckham family when her youngest daughter, Afton, who resides in Beverly Hills, California, dated Brooklyn in 2017.

However, Afton - who was 17 at the time of their romance - said: "I'm better off without him, I'm fine."

The 63-year-old was once linked to the Beckham family thanks to her daughter Afton (left) (Getty Images Europe)

Recalling her encounters with David and Victoria, Afton said: "I got to meet his parents and they are very nice, Victoria is very protective over him."

Gillian went viral briefly on social media in 2019 for suggesting "the country needs the sperm of unvaccinated men" and in May 2021, was reportedly among anti-vaccine protesters who stormed Westfield shopping centre in West London.

She urged her follows to refuse vaccines, referring to them as "clotshots", and suggested that nutrition could provide immunity against infection - though had no evidence.

Speaking about an anti-lockdown protest in March 2021, Gillian wrote on Twitter: "It is time to stand up. And London has finally come through. London takes back freedom. Proud to be a Londoner…"

Paul Burrell

Paul has divorced his wife and married his 'soulmate' since his last I'm A Celeb series (ITV/REX)

Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell appeared on I'm A Celeb twice before filming the special in South Africa last year - in the UK version in 2004 and the Australian version in 2018.

Since competing in the show's fourth series, Paul, 64, has separated from his ex-wife of 32 years, wed his husband and sadly been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In 2017, Paul told the Mirror: "Myself and Maria have been to hell and back. Our marriage lasted 32 years, and I still want to be there for her."

Revealing how she reacted to news of his engagement to boyfriend Graham Cooper, who he wed in 2017, he the moment was both painful and emotional.

"We cried, when I told Maria I was marrying Graham," he said.

At the beginning of the year, when Prince Harry's controversial memoir Spare was published, the Duke of Sussex claimed Paul was 'milking' Diana's death for money when he published his 2001 book A Royal Duty.

He wrote: "My mother once called this butler a dear friend, trusted him implicitly. We did too. Now this. He was milking her disappearance for money. It made my blood boil."

The former royal butler spoke out about Prince Harry's issue in his memoir Spare (Rex Features)

Harry claims he had planned to 'confront' Mr Burrell but his father Charles and brother William persuaded him not to, and all they could do 'issue a united condemnation'.

Speaking of his sadness, Paul told the Mirror: "[Harry] has discarded me, but he hasn't thought about all of those years that I spent with his mother, in private, loving her, caring for her, watching out for her. I've been dismissed and I'm very sad about that."

Paul described I'm A Celeb All Stars as an 'emotional rollercoaster' as he grieved the death of the late Queen and battled cancer.

"I'm sat in the jungle with cancer, the Queen has died and I'm thinking, 'Oh wow, how do I get through this?'," he said.

"I'm on an emotional educational rollercoaster - ups and downs - and not knowing where I'm going to be the next minute. Having the biopsy itself and finding the cancer..."

The dad-of-two admitted that he'd grown and evolved a lot since his first series of I'm A Celeb.

"It is going to be different because I am a different person now. I was a married guy with two kids and now 19 years on, I am a married man again but this time around, I have a husband," he said.

"I have many more things to talk about in South Africa. I want to be there for all the dads who are struggling with their sexuality."

Helen Flanagan

Helen has since become a mum-of-three and split from her ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair (ITV/REX)

Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, 32, has become a mum, got engaged and broken up with her ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair since she first appeared on the show back in 2012.

The series, won by EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, saw Helen loved-up with footballer Scott but yet to welcome any children into the world.

In 2017, Helen returned to Corrie for a year, before taking a break to have her three young kids, and now she's back setting her sights on America, hoping to 'take LA by storm'.

The 32-year-old Corrie star is embracing being 'sexy and single' this year (Instagram)

Speaking about All Stars, Helen admitted: "It's going to be different. I was only 22 back then and I am 32 now.

"I have grown up a lot and I've had three children and I've gone through three labours! I won't not finish the trials because my mindset will be very different this time around."

Last year, when the spin-off was filmed, Helen moved into her 'forever home' in Cheshire with her family-of-five then called it quits on her relationship-of-13-years.

Now, she's feeling "super confident and super sexy", newly single in her thirties, ready to take on co-parenting and have a little bit of fun in the dating world.

Carol Vorderman

Carol has become a regular face on This Morning, Lorraine and popular podcasts too (ITV/REX)

Former Countdown star Carol Vorderman has only got more famous and fabulous since she finished in eighth place on I'm A Celeb in 2016.

The 62-year-old regularly sends pulses racing on social media thanks to her love of sharing saucy snaps on Instagram, and likes to take on the UK Government on Twitter.

Carol is a regular face on This Morning and often acts as a stand in for Lorraine Kelly on her ITV daytime show, as well as presenting Pride Of Britain Awards each year.

Carol is happily dating multiple men who are called her 'special friends' (carolvorders/Instagram)
The 62-year-old has suffered a few health scares over the years (carolvorders/Instagram)

The presenter and writer has remained single since her last jungle stint and recently revealed that she embraces a very open dating life, preferring to see five men at once.

On Michelle Visage's Rule Breakers podcast, Carol said: "I'm having the best time. I have a system which I've had for 10 years. They're called 'special friends'."

Carol is known for taking great care of her health and appearance, though started suffering hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid gland, last year and battled sepsis the year prior.

Speaking ahead of filming I'm A Celebrity...South Africa, Carol said: "I've not been on a safari for 40 years and I can't wait now to do the Trials. I will try everything and I will try my absolute best."

Janice Dickinson

Supermodel Janice was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and given the 'all clear' (ITV/REX)

Former supermodel Janice Dickinson, 68, first appeared on the ITV show in 2007 when she won second place behind Christopher Biggins.

Just five years later, the star declared herself bankrupt and blamed cosmetic surgery for her financial woes, claiming in In Touch magazine: "Press whore doctors offered to give me Botox and fix my teeth for free and then slapped me with bills."

In 2015, Janice appeared on Botched to fix her boob job that was done 30 years before, confessing at the time: "I am no stranger to plastic surgery".

The world's first supermodel vowed to stop going under the knife later the same year for the sake of her son.

In 2016, Janice was diagnosed with breast cancer and "felt fear" for the first time, then just a few months later, revealed the good news that she'd been given the 'all clear'.

She has since been bankrupt and married her third husband Dr Robert Gerner (WireImage)

"I went through six weeks radiation, which was very harrowing. But the radiation is over, I'm scot-free for the grace of Gods... so cancer-schmancer!" she said on This Morning.

The star, who has been wed three times, is currently married to Dr. Robert "Rocky" Gerner, a psychiatrist whom she wed in 2016 in a small ceremony in Beverly Hills after four years of dating.

Speaking about her time in the Australian jungle, Janice revealed she enjoyed "the camaraderie" the most - adding: "It was great getting to meet everyone on the show, we had lots of different personalities in the camp.

"What I learnt about myself: I learnt that I could be ok with myself, if things were happening on one side of the camp I would just pick myself up and move.

"I found out it was ok to be by yourself, although you never know what creepy crawlies are going to crawl out from a log. You never know what's going to jump up and bite your ass."

Phil Tufnell

Phil has spoken out about his experience with skin cancer and hair transplants (ITV/REX)

Ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell, 56, was crowned King of the Jungle when he starred in the second series of the ITV reality TV show in 2003.

After flying home from Australia, Phil became a team captain on quiz show They Think It's All Over and later appeared on BBC's A Question Of Sport. He returned to reality TV with Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.

Phil has spoken openly about his previous battle with skin cancer and the recovery, and very recently made the decision to have a hair transplant to prevent thinning.

Speaking about his second stint on the ITV show, the second-ever I'm A Celeb winner said: "I never had a game plan the first time around and I won't this time either.

"You are older and wiser and I am sure there will be some funky old Trials to get my head around."

Shaun Ryder

Shaun enjoys a vegan diet, no longer parties or takes drugs and has Botox (ITV/REX)

Shaun Ryder, 60, finished second place behind Stacey Solomon when he appeared on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2010.

The English singer has since returned to our screens on numerous shows, including Would I Lie to You?, Celebrity Mastermind, BBC Two comedy Mandy and he hosted Shaun Ryder on UFOs in 2013.

The dad-of-six took part in Channel 4's Fame in the Family and discovered three long-lost relatives.

Shaun has opened up about his appearance and health issues over the years, including cysts in his testicles, unexplained alopecia and hip surgery.

"I've got no eyelashes, no eyebrows, no pubic hair, no leg hair, no armpit hair, everything gone," Shaun told Chris Moyles on Radio X in 2019.

"At first they thought it's going to be the testosterone or it's going to be the thyroid. Well it isn't, because in the thyroid it comes out in clumps, right. Now mine's an alopecia thing and it's just gone. And another thing is, it's not stress related."

The Happy Mondays legend also admitted that he enjoys a vegan diet these days and even had a round of Botox while having his teeth treated by a dentist.

Recalling his camp highlight before filming I'm A Celebrity...South Africa last year, Shaun said he enjoying jumping out of the plane in Australia the most.

"I was really scared but I got such a great buzz from doing it," the Celebrity Gogglebox star fondly remembered.

Amir Khan

Amir has publicly split and got back together with his wife Faryal and they have a TV show (ITV/REX)

Former boxing champion Amir Khan, 36, camped alongside Queen of the Jungle Georgia Toffolo during the 2017 series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Since his appearence on the ITV show, Amir's experienced many cheating allegations and relationship spats in the public eye, with wife Faryal, 31.

Amir went public about their break-up in 2017 and accused Faryal of moving on quickly with former heavyweight world champion, Anthony Joshua.

The former boxer has come out of the other side and is now loved up (PA)

The pair recovered from the upset, but in 2018, Amir was forced to deny claims that he'd cheated (again) when he was accused of sleeping with beautician Sophia Hammani just days after the birth of his second child.

But as Faryal put it in their BBC Three series Meet the Khans: Big in Bolton, "We've been through hell and back."

Speaking about the new series of the show, the Bolton-born star said: "The South African jungle is different to Australia. You've got lions, leopards and goodness knows what.

"Imagine standing in front of them?! It's going to require more strength to block out your emotions when you are feeling scared. It will be harder, but I think I will cope well because I am going in knowing Australia helped me overcome a lot of things."

Fatima Whitbread

Fatima shared her experience with adoption and the UK care system in a documentary (ITV/REX)

Former Olympic athlete Fatima Whitbread is another sports star who braved sleeping under the stars in the jungle for the ITV show in 2011.

The 62-year-old went on to become a regular fitness expert appearing on This Morning in 2012, and later that year, her documentary Fatima Whitbread: Growing Up in Care aired.

"I learnt a lot during my time in the camp. As a mum, you forget about yourself and the camp made me realise I liked myself," Fatima admitted ahead of filming I'm a Celebrity...South Africa.

Looking ahead to the all-stars series, she added: "I've never had the opportunity of an eating and drinking Trial. If that Trial came up and I was put forward, I would do it. I am not sure I would like the gagging though!"

Jordan Banjo

Jordan has become a successful radio host and presenter on multiple shows (ITV/REX)

Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo, 30, was the fourth celebrity to leave the jungle when he popped up on the 2016 series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Since his stint on the ITV show, Jordan has got married to Naomi Courts and welcomed three young children into the world - Cassius, four, and three-year-old Mayowa, as well as baby Atreus this month.

Since 2016, Jordan has appeared on our screens presenting Dancing on Ice, co-hosting The Greatest Dancer and co-hosting KISS Breakfast Show with Perri Kiely.

In 2021, Jordan appeared as Viper on The Masked Dancer and was the first celebrity to be unmasked.

The Diversity dancer married Naomi and they've had three children together (INSTAGRAM)

Reflecting on his time Down Under before filming the new series in South Africa, Jordan said: "Doing IAC made me grateful for the time I get to spend with my family and friends.

"I am around them every single day and it made me realise how super lucky I am to be able to do so."

The dancer added: "Anybody who goes on something and says they don’t want to win is a liar. To win would be nice but to go back is a win too. You grow up watching I’m A Celebrity and there are so many people I would like to be with in the camp."

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