It’s official I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here season and the official line-up for 2024 has been revealed. However, did you know that the celebrities who take part must fulfil certain requirements?
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Indeed, according to football legend, Paul Gascoigne, those wanting to head down under must take a psychological test, which he reportedly failed five times. The celebrities must also undergo medical exams before entering the Australian jungle.
Paul Gascoigne talks about his 5 failed tests
As per Metro, Paul Gascoigne has been poised to head to the I’m a Celeb camp several times. However, the football legend has failed the psychological test five times. Recently, the 57-year-old revealed why he failed multiple times.
Speaking with The Sun, he explained that the show’s producers have asked him, but in the end he was turned down due to the psychological test. The former footballer has been open about his addiction since retiring in 2004.
He revealed that for his first psychological test, he was turned down due to drugs:
But you had to see a psychiatrist. If you pass the psychiatrist’s test, you’re in. I failed five f***ing times!
And to be honest, the first time I went to see her I was on cocaine, so she must have f***ing knew.
For his second and third tests, Gascoigne swore at the psychiatrist. During his football career, Paul was known for his colourful language:
Second time I told her to f*** off. Third time never wanted to f***ing see her again so didn’t really go down too well.
Gascoigne doesn't give information about his fourth and fifth psychological tests.
Former contestants share their experiences
As the new celebrities prepare to enter I'm A Celeb, which starts on Sunday, November 17, previous contestants have shared what their experience was like.
2022 contestant, Scarlette Douglas told Yahoo UK that the producers are very much ‘hands-on’ during the show and try their best to support the celebrities. She explained that naturally, the producers don’t want contestants quitting, unlike last year, which saw two contestants quit, so they make sure they are doing well.
Douglas goes on to add that the celebrities are ‘isolated’ before they head to the jungle but they have regular check-ups with a psychiatrist and they can go on daily walks for their mental health:
We're isolated in the house before we get into the jungle, and they will come and check on us and make sure we're OK, or we'll go for a walk once a day and just to make sure our mental health is clear. And there's always a psychiatrist on hand if you want to speak to anybody.
She also revealed that they are allowed some outside information. Speaking with Yahoo UK, Scarlette explained that each contestant is allowed to choose one person to be a point of contact.
She also added that if anything important happens back home, the contestants will be told. For example, while Scarlette was in the jungle, her mother underwent eye surgery, she was later told that the surgery had gone well.
If anything serious happens back home, they will call you into the Bush Telegraph. [...] When she did have the operation, they told me it happened, it was fine and she's OK. I just needed to know that.
For another contestant, the required medical exam may have saved their life. Paul Burrell was diagnosed with prostate cancer after his medical exam for I’m A Celebrity South Africa:
Because I went for the medical [and] they found a raised PSA level. I went to my GP and I said to him, ‘Am I still able to do the show?’ And he said, ‘Look, this can wait until you get back [from filming] and when you get back, we’ll continue with the investigations
Adding:
I’m so grateful to ITV for picking me to do the jungle because without that, I would still be sat here today not knowing I had cancer growing inside of me. So my journey is a happy one.
Read more:
Popular sports star hints he ‘desperately’ wants to do I’m A Celeb: ‘I would quite enjoy it’
Rylan Clark: ITV presenter confirms he turned down I’m A Celeb and reveals when would he say yes
Ant and Dec make millions from hosting shows like Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celeb
Sources used:
Metro: ‘Football legend failed I’m A Celebrity psychiatrist test five times while on cocaine’
The Sun: ‘GET OUT OF HERE Paul Gascoigne reveals he was TURNED DOWN for I’m A Celeb – despite trying five times to get on the show’
Yahoo UK: ‘How I'm a Celebrity bosses stop stars quitting the show’
The Standard: ‘Paul Burrell reveals how I’m A Celebrity medical exam ‘saved his life’ ahead of all-stars season’
