Former Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver has issued a warning to those preparing to enter the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! jungle in Australia this year
Sue Cleaver has issued a warning to the stars preparing to become campmates on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! The actress, who left her long-running role as Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street earlier this year, took part in the 2022 edition of the ITV reality series and has now spoken of how bored and hungry she was during her time on the show.
The former dinnerladies star was back in her usual seat on the panel of Loose Women on Thursday alongside Kaye Adams, Frankie Bridge and Nadia Sawalha, where she reminded them that viewers at home only ever see a trimmed down version of the action in the camp, which is filmed for 24 hours a day.
She said: “You only ever see the edited version from a 24-hour period. If you aren’t doing a trial, you’re in the camp doing nothing. There’s no books, nothing. You’re in a hammock kicking a stick. I made a pair of shoes out of some twigs. They didn’t show that on the telly.”
READ MORE: Kelly Brook’s I’m A Celebrity pay revealed – and how she compares to campmatesREAD MORE: Lisa Riley to avoid I’m A Celeb’s toughest challenge
“You’re gonna be starving, you literally are starving. It’s two tablespoons of rice, two tablespoons of rice. Oh my God, I’ve never touched it since.”
This year, those heading into the jungle include Sue’s fellow soap legend Lisa Riley, who is known for playing Mandy Dingle on Emmerdale, Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp and presenter Alex Scott amongst a host of others. Sue insisted the new contestants on the programme have to be ‘strong’ to get through it, and it is as ‘tough’ as it seems.
She added: “I would say you have to be strong. I’d watched it for years and I always thought that when they cameras weren’t rolling, there would be tea and cakes round the corner, there isn’t! It is very, very tough.
“There are spiders on the bed, somebody does come in and grapple a snake and take it away in the middle of the night. If you have any issues…you’ve got to be strong!” Sue previously spoke of how taking part in the programme allowed her to open up to the idea of new experiences.
Following her stint in the jungle, Sue went play Mother Superior, the part made famous by Dame Maggie Smith, in Sister Act: The Musical,
She told Prima magazine: “My 50s have been the happiest decade of my life. I’m happy with myself and where I am, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the next decade brings. “Since doing I’m A Celeb, my eyes have been opened to all these new experiences.
“Now, I’m just thinking, ‘Right, what’s my next challenge?’”
The star, who lost weight on the ITV reality show due to food rationing, discussed what she believes to be “unfair expectations” on women to look and eat a certain way, which she refuses to buy into.
She said: “I lost some weight in the jungle, but I’m not obsessing over diets: life is hard enough!
“There’s always going to be outside pressure and unfair expectations placed on women, but I refuse to get pulled into it. Let’s just let women be women – we have enough difficulties and struggles as it is.”
Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News, TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage