Scarlett Moffatt was crowned Queen of the Jungle when she won the hearts of the nation on I’m a Celebrity… Get me Out of Here! back in 2016.
But the presenter, 31, has admitted she wanted to “disappear for a while” following her telly triumph as the spotlight took a toll on her mental health.
The former Gogglebox star, who first graced our screens on her parents sofa, has opened up about how tough she’s found fame to be in a chat for Mental Health Awareness Week.
The Samaritans ambassador told Hello! she felt like she couldn’t do anything right after appearing on the show and became “very very anxious”
“After I did I'm a Celebrity which catapulted me into this weird world of being known and people having an opinion on me that they hadn't really had before, I suddenly felt as if there was a magnifying glass on me and everyone in the UK had an opinion of me,” she told the publication.
"Everything I did, I felt like it was criticised, and I didn't quite feel like I was getting anything right."
Scarlett’s Jungle Queen fame had a detrimental impact on her mental health.
She had moved to London, miles away from her family and support system in Newcastle and felt she didn’t quite fit in to the showbiz world.
When she did return home, she struggled to talk to friends and family about her problems because they were so different to anything they were experiencing, the telly personality explained.
She admitted had to cancel some appearances because she couldn’t face hearing opinions about her.
Things got so bad that she couldn’t leave the house for days and pretended she was at work when loved ones called.
She recalled: “I remember walking to the front door and going to open it and my body just not letting me. I didn't want to speak to my friends and family because I didn't want to burden them because they all thought I was living the high life in London."
Brave Scarlett told how it was at this breaking point that she called the Samaritans for help.
She called them under the pseudonym Charlotte Muffin, got everything off her chest and then slept for the first time in a long time.
"Believe me, I've been in a place where I've felt like I just wanted to disappear for a little while and come back when things had calmed down," she said.
The Samaritans gave her the confidence to talk to her parents about how she was feeling, and then go to the GP.
From there, she said, she got better quite quickly and although she still has hard days.
“But life can be a wonderful place," she said.
The telly star has now come full circle and found her faith in love again thanks to boyfriend Scott.
Scarlett opened up about her experience ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from May 9 to 15. It's understood to this year be focused on loneliness.
According to data released by Samaritans, there has been a 22 percent rise in the number of calls to the charity regarding loneliness since the start of the pandemic.
Advice issued by the charity encourages people to take things at their own pace and to talk to others if you aren't feeling okay, with it reminding that you aren't alone.
It states: "Whatever you are feeling is OK. There is no right or wrong way to react. It's natural that these uncertain and challenging times are continuing to affect people."
"It's important to be kind to yourself and take things at your own pace. We've all faced challenges over the past two years and it's OK if you still need time to readjust," it adds.
The charity however encourages people to reach out to others, saying: "If you're finding things tough, try to talk about how you are feeling with others. You're not alone."
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.
