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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Tamara Davison

Paul Gascoigne admits I'm A Celeb Italy was 'therapy' as he eyes up Aussie stint

Paul Gascoigne has opened up about I'm A Celeb Italy being the perfect therapy after he was forced to ditch coffee and cigarettes while enduring gruelling challenges in Honduras.

The 54-year-old former footballer, who appeared on the Italian version of the celebrity reality show earlier this year, has admitted that while the experience was 'tough' it has also encouraged him to consider other shows in the future.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, Paul suggested that he would be up for a stint on the Australian version of the show and thinks its three-week tenure would be a 'breeze'.

He has also vowed to start training again in a bid to keep up his fitness after he heads in for an operation after he dislocated his shoulder while on the show.

Paul jumped from a helicopter and also dislocated his shoulder in a later challenge while he was starring in the Italian show (Canale5)

"It was very tough, but it was good for me and I’m glad I did it. Now I want to do the Australian one!" Paul told OK! about his experience on the show.

He added: "It would be a breeze - it’s only three weeks, and the Italy one was 12 weeks."

Elsewhere in the interview, the former sport star opened up about his plans to get into shape as well as his upcoming shoulder operation - which led to him leaving the jungle for a few days to receive treatment.

Paul went on: "I’m OK, apart from my shoulder. Once I’ve got that fixed I’m going to start training again.

"I’ve always been into my fitness. I get on the bike and do sit-ups and press-ups.

When asked about his shoulder, Paul said: "It’s not too bad. I had to have a few days out [of the jungle] for treatment and then a few days in isolation before I went back in.

Paul suffered a horrific accident when he appeared on the show (ITV)

"Hopefully, I will be having an operation shortly."

The Italian series sees the celebrities surviving off 50g of rice a day, coconuts, fish they catch, and other food won in challenges, similar to the ITV Bushtucker Trials.

While he suffered a horrific shoulder accident during the show, it certainly hasn't stopped the star eyeing up future projects and even teased that he'd love to appear on SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Paul Gascoigne has admitted that he wants to take part in the Australian version of I'm A Celeb that airs on ITV (Getty Images)

Paul had to actually be sedated after he sustained the injury while completing an assault course task to win meatballs and spaghetti. He was able to return to the set wearing a shoulder brace but he was prevented from doing any further challenges.

Paul's hopes of being cast in the ITV version of the show come as rumours swirl around who might be joining the cohort in Australia later this year. It follows after Giovanna Fletcher was crowned champion in December 2020 after a stint at Gwrych Castle.

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