
Russell Watson is one of this year’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!'s late arrivals.
The tenor joined the ITV show for its new-look Wales-set series alongside theatre star Ruthie Henshall in Wednesday night’s episode (18 November).
Watson, whose career as a tenor has earned him numerous awards, has generated a dedicated fanbase over the past three decades.
Fourteen years ago, in 2006, Watson was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
After being successfully treated, he was diagnosed with a second tumour the following year due to a sudden regrowth that led to bleeding in his brain.
Following surgery, in which he had the tumour removed through his nose, Watson had five weeks of radiotherapy.
He spent the next three years recovering from the effects of the relapse and regained full singing capacity through vocal rehabilitation.
Speaking to Sky News earlier this year, Watson reflected upon the experience, saying: “It was dangerous because the tumour grew very quickly. I went to bed one night and it haemorrhaged while I was asleep.”
He said he was “lucky to survive” and that there now “isn’t one day when I don’t think about my life and am no incredibly grateful for the fact that I’m still here”.
I’m a Celebrity continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1