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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Susannah Constantine says taking part in I’m A Celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing left her with PTSD

Susannah Constantine has opened up on her time on Strictly and I’m A Celebrity

(Picture: BBC/ Guy Levy)

Susannah Constantine claims that doing reality TV has left her with PTSD and she can no longer watch I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

The What Not To Wear star, 60, took part in I’m A Celebrity... in 2015 and Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.

Admitting that the only reason she went into the jungle was for the money, she told SheerLuxe: “There was no other reason and I know I was paid more than anyone else – poor ITV, I was kicked out first! That’s why I don’t really watch the new series when they come out.”

She does have one major regret when it comes to Strictly, which is that she didn’t train harder for it.

“I do still watch Strictly, though, and every time I kick myself for taking myself too seriously and not training enough,” the London-born star told the publication.

Susannah Constantine said one silver lining is she became firm friends with her Strictly professional dance partner Anton Du Beke (BBC/Guy Levy)

‘I remember expecting to be a world-class dancer on two or three hours of training a day. I remember on the second day of training I came home and I said to my husband, “You know what? I’ve found something I’m really good at and I think we could win this.” I mean, how deluded was I?

“I still have PTSD from it – the traumas of I’m A Celebrity pale in comparison to Strictly! You can be absolutely murdered for your lack of talent on that show.”

Constantine was the first celebrity eliminated from the BBC dance competition and scored the lowest-scoring samba and foxtrot in the show’s history.

There was one silver lining, however, and that is that she formed a firm friendship with her professional dance partner, Anton Du Beke, who has since swapped the dancefloor for a place on the judging panel.

“We’re still very much in touch and I love him. But I remember him saying he could tell the minute anyone walked through the door if they could dance and, with me, he knew there was no hope!” she added.

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