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Daily Record
Entertainment
Tasha Hall

I'm a Celeb's Gillian McKeith says she only took part in ITV spin-off show for six-figure pay packet

I'm A Celebrity All-Stars contestant Gillian McKeith has opened up on why she agreed to return to South Africa for the ITV spin-off show, revealing going back to the jungle "terrorised" her but was "worth it" for the six-figure wage packet at the end.

The Scots nutritionist made an iconic appearance when she first went on the Australian version of the reality show fronted by Ant and Dec in 2010, with her dramatic 'fainting' becoming a meme sensation on social media at the time.

Gillian, 63, became notorious for clashing with her campmates and got herself in the history books for her appearance on the show, particularly butting heads with Shaun Ryder as the pair were forced to meet yet again.

When pressed if she was getting a good income from appearing once again, Gillian told OK! Magazine: "Yes. Of course. Why does anyone do it?" She then confirmed that she was paid "six figures".

"So of course it is worth it," she added.

Despite many celeb faces returning for the spin-off version which was filmed in South Africa, it didn't appear to cure Gillian of her many phobias this time round either.

"I'm worse than ever," she said. "I left terrorised and it hasn't gone away. I have lots of insect phobias, but spiders are the worst. I don't want to get close up to spiders."

When asked why she signed up for the show originally back in 2010, Gillian expressed how she believed it was simply a TV set and they wouldn't be forced to actually sleep there overnight. A view that many former contestants of the reality show believed before entering.

"I didn't know the show. I thought it would be an experience and put me out of my comfort zone, but I didn't understand until I got in," Gillian admitted.

"I was in complete shock. I hadn't watched one episode. I knew it was in the jungle, but I thought it would be a TV set, we'd go there, film and then we'd go to a hotel at night."

Sporting a very 'Kate Price in the jungle' look with her hair braided for the new series, Gillian also spoke of why she decided to get the new hairdo for the second jungle appearance.

"I was bitten by a tick back in 2010. I have quite thick hair and it burrowed under my hair at the neck, so I thought: 'I'm not doing that again'," she told Mail Online.

"The tick bite was very painful. It stuck its pincer into my neck under the hair. It was like being sliced with a razor-sharp knife."

Gillian and Shaun Ryder were the first two celebrities eliminated from I'm A Celebrity... South Africa All-Stars just five days into the series. And we previously reported how the arch-enemies have seemingly put their long-hauled feud aside as they appeared on Lorraine's breakfast TV show following the boot.

When the pair appeared alongside each other following their exit, host Ranvir Singh was left completely blindsided when they walked in arm and arm to the ITV studio for the exit interview.

"This is either amazing PR, or you really have healed the rift.... spills the beans," she said as soon as they sat down to join her on the couch.

Shaun quipped: "I never had a rift really," as he attempted to quash any animosity between the pair as Gillian burst into laughter at his surprising comment.

I'm A Celebrity... South Africa continues 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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