She might have got her claim to fame from comfortably sitting on the Gogglebox couch, but in the case of Angie Kent, her next reality television stint has been anything but cushy.
Indeed the perils of the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here jungle were all too real for the blonde Queenslander, who says the experience has given her entirely new outlook on life, and helped her battle with a long term mental illness.
“You appreciate everything in there, and all you have is what’s happening right now. You don’t stress about anything else,” she explained exclusively to Now To Love.
Angie was put through her paces in the I’m A Celeb jungle. (Image: Network Ten)
In fact, Angie faced her 10-year-long battle with an eating disorder head-on in the jungle, and it changed everything.
“I used to find it very hard to eat in front of people, but I got in there and I was like ‘Where’s my food? Where’s my extra chippies!?’ I just turned into a complete hangry little goblin and I was so fine with that!” she said.
“I’ve just realised I’m worth looking after, I deserve to look after myself.”
And while Angie came into camp armed with her partner in crime Yvie Jones, the pair weren’t able to make it to the grand finale together – much to Angie’s despair.
“It was hard… We thought that we’d surely be together in the final. So to see her face drop when my name was called I think she was very shocked,” explained Angie.
“But she’d come so far, we both had our difficult journeys and highs and lows at different times in the jungle. She can do this without me now, definitely.”
WATCH: Gogglebox‘s Angie and Yvie react to I’m A Celebrity. Story continues below…
And while Angie’s newfound appreciation for food was a triumph, she still endured a big physical toll which became apparent during a weigh in with the other celebrities.
Angie, who was already petite to start with, lost four kilos- a noticeable amount on her small frame.
“Seeing my face before the jungle I thought, ‘Wow I did have a chubbier face then’, but my face has definitely lost that Christmas chub now!”
And that wasn’t the only thing the jungle changed about her – keep scrolling as Angie reveals her key revelations from her I’m A Celeb experience.
Angie, you came so close! How are you feeling about it all now?
When I first heard my name, my heart sunk because it was just one more sleep until I could make it to the final!
I was so close at that point, and it does break your heart a little bit and obviously I didn’t want to leave because I loved it so much in there.
But I’m happy with where I came, everything happens for a reason. The top three in there now are such a fabulous mix so I’m excited to see who wins.
What were the hardest moments you experienced in the jungle?
You just have to be so vulnerable in the jungle and I’m not used to talking about myself personally.
To get to know people so quickly and to be so raw was quite intimidating but it was also beautiful as well. And obviously suffering with anxiety myself I just thought, ‘How am I going to fit in with all these crazy beautiful personalities and still stay sane but true to myself!?’ But I managed to do it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so comfortable with myself before.
When you have no vices like a phone or a car or even alcohol, you’re just completely yourself. I was like ‘This is the real Angie!’
Angie’s honest and quirky personality brought plenty of laughs to the show. (Image: Network Ten)
What was the main thing you learned in the jungle?
I think that even though I can come back now to all my vices – like my phone and food – I hope I still keep that simple life of the jungle and appreciate everything and stay present.
Because that’s all you have in the jungle – you appreciate everything and all you have is what’s happening right now. You don’t stress about anything else.
How did you go with the minimal amount of food in the jungle?
I didn’t lose a bunch of weight [4kg] which was probably a good thing – I thought I’d go in and come out like a skeleton!
But because you do eat breakfast, lunch and dinner I don’t usually do that in the real world.
I’ve had quite an interesting relationship with food ever since I was a teenager. I’ve learnt now that I need to eat those consistent meals and I’ve learned how precious food is and I feel like I’ll never take it for granted again.
In saying that, I haven’t had much time to jump on my phone but I looked at some of the pictures of me before I went in and my face was so much chubbier! My face has definitely lost that Christmas chub.
Angie came out of the jungle with her head held high. (Image: Network Ten)
How do you feel about your mental health struggles after being in the jungle?
It’s helped me – I used to find it very hard to eat in front of people, but I got in there and I was like ‘Where’s my food? Where’s my extra chippies!?’ I just turned into a complete hangry little goblin and I was so fine with that!
I’ve just realised I’m worth looking after, I deserve to look after myself, and I was really proud to see that my relationship with food went from being so frightened of it to being like, ‘Where’s my food!?’ The jungle definitely changes your way of thinking, that’s for sure.
Do you have any other reality TV plans in the works?
Yes definitely, I didn’t go into the jungle with a set plan. Like when Gogglebox was finished up for Yvie and I, this I’m A Celeb opportunity popped up and we thought ‘Why the hell not?’
And we loved every single moment of it! So I would love to explore the industry some more – if the industry will have me!
And if not then I’ll just leave it up to the universe.
What about all those Bachelorette rumours? Would you ever consider going on the show?
[Laughs] When I was on Gogglebox I would have said ‘Hell to the no!’
But now being on this show and taking on everything that was thrown at me I reckon I could handle a bunch of guys (as long as they’re nice men and not douche bags!) throwing themselves at me and winning my love – why not!
Final question! If you were on the Gogglebox couch watching yourself on I’m A Celeb, what would you say?
From the clips I’ve seen, I’d say that’s me [on the show] 100 per cent.
I’m a bit of a dork, I’m a grub, I have verbal diarrhoea but I have a massive heart and sometimes it gets me in trouble.
But there were some big characters in there and to be amongst that and not fade into the background, and to see how everyone just loved everyone it was really lovely.
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