From the Gogglebox couch to the South African wild – I’m A Celebrity‘s Yvie Jones sure has come a long way.
It was a success story the brave blonde barely dared dream of, but getting to the top two on the fifth season of the wild reality TV show was a moment that Yvie will never forget.
“I just didn’t expect that to happen, it was completely rewarding and surprising,” Yvie told Now To Love exclusively, just hours after returning home to Australia.
I’m A Celebrity’s Yvie Jones was thrilled to make it to the top two on the show. (Image: Network Ten)
And while she came in second behind her fellow camp mate Richard Reid, Jones couldn’t have been more ecstatic for the result.
“I felt elated for Richard, I knew how much he wanted to win and I actually wanted him to win more than I!” She said.
But out of all the contestants, Yvie’s journey has arguably made the most lasting impression on the Australian public.
In a moment that captured the nation’s attention, Yvie made a stirring speech about body image during a ‘weigh-in’ for the contestants.
Standing up and refusing to weigh herself, Yvie said on the show: “We’re going to celebrate how much weight we’ve lost and that somehow is something to be proud of, and I don’t think it is something to be proud of.
“I [grew] up in a house where I was told one of the worst things to be was overweight.
“I can’t actually tell you the last time I weighed my self… I wish we lived in a different world where what we look like doesn’t matter.”
Yvie teared up during her emotional speech about body image. (Image: Network Ten)
The moment struck a chord with her fellow campers and the world, and opening up about the poignant moment to Now To Love, Jones said it all came down to listening to her inner voice.
“I didn’t want to do the weigh in, but I was going to do it right until that last second. Then the voice inside of my head that has been getting louder and louder over the last decade said, ‘This is your opportunity to be honest, so if you’re gonna do it, go for it now’,” she explained.
“All I wanted to do was just get my message out there, and for the first time I thought, I’m gonna do this, I’m going to do this while I’ve got an audience.”
And an audience she had – in fact, so many people resonated with Yvie’s words that she has since been flooded with messages of praise from fans.
“I’ve received so many messages – emails and comments from hundreds upon hundreds of women, mostly with them telling me their own stories,” she said.
“I have just been in tears the whole time – pretty much every single message I’ve received starts with: ‘I just want to say thank you’.”
Now, as she leaves the jungle behind, Yvie has big plans to continue sharing her undeniable strength and spirit with the world.
Keep scrolling as we chat to her about the game-changing jungle experience, and where we might be seeing her next…
Yvie! What an amazing effort, you should be so proud of how far you’ve come! How do you feel about the result?
I felt elated for Richard, I knew how much he wanted to win and I actually wanted him to win more than I!
In fact, I think it was the second week in I said, ‘He’s going to take this out and he deserves it’, I’m so stoked for him. He deserves it way more than I did!
I’m really glad with the result.
What was the first thing you thought of when you left the jungle?
What can I eat now!? Air conditioner and hamburger! [Laughs].
How would you sum up the whole experience?
It is extremely tough to do, but it’s ultimately so rewarding in the end.
Like I honestly didn’t think I would get through it, but to have gotten through it relatively unscathed and feeling better than I was when I went in – that’s compelytely rewarding and surprising. I just didn’t expect that to happen.
Yvie was a trooper from the beginning! (Image: Network Ten)
You had some really brave moments opening up about your past struggles – including your brave speech about body image, can you tell us more about that?
I can’t believe that I even got that opportunity, or that I even did what I did or said what I said.
I didn’t want to do the weigh in, but I was going to do it right until that last second. Then the voice inside of my head that has been getting louder and louder over the last decade said, ‘This is your opportunity to be honest, so if you’re gonna do it, go for it now’
All I wanted to do was just get my message out there, and for the first time I thought, I’m gonna do this, I’m, gonna do this while I’ve got an audience.
When you’re back at camp it’s harder to speak up because you have debates, but being out there where no one would interrupt me was the clincher.
What have people said to you about it since?
I’ve received so many messages – emails and comments from hundreds upon hundreds of women, mostly that were telling me their own stories.
I have just been in tears the whole time – pretty much every single message I’ve received starts with: ‘I just want to say thank you’.
I’ve even had emails from people from Europe – it really has struck an international chord, and I don’t think it’s just women either, there’s definitely some men who have responded to it too.
I’m so glad that I did it. All I wanted was to just get my message out there and challenge just one person’s opinion, but I think it’s gone above and beyond that.
I’m really happy that at the very least it has started the dialogue. And that some women felt better about themselves.
WATCH: I’m A Celebrity‘s Yvie talks about her troubling dating history. Story continues after video…
Was there anyone who surprised you in the jungle?
Angie [Kent] got more out of this show than any of the others.
And because I know Angie so well, I saw her peel back layers of anxiety and doubt to reveal who she really is.
I had hoped that would happen before we went in, so to actually watch her become this open happy person that I know is there was really joyful for me to watch.
I think she got more out of it than anyone, and everyone was so supportive.
I think the entire season was brilliant as far as listening and supporting goes.
How did you find the strength in yourself to tackle some of those terrifying – and gross! – challenges?
Well at the beginning I was only thinking of myself. But it was getting in my way and I realised that I was really there to raise money for my charity, Safe Pets Safe Families.
I started to ask myself what [charity founder] Jennifer Howard would do. She’s such an inspiration to me.
She came from a domestic violence situation where she lost her two dogs. And from such a tragic experience, she has made something positive out of it to help others in similar situations.
So I said to myself, ‘what are you doing thinking in that whingey negative way at all? What would you do if Jennifer Howard was in front of you right now?’
And that changed everything for me. At that point I just really thought I had to go for this and enjoy it.
Always a team, Angie and Yvie battled the jungle elements together. (Image: Network Ten)
How did the experience compare to being on Gogglebox?
Well I didn’t have our comfy couch to lie on, and I didn’t have my home comforts and I didn’t have my dogs.
But I did have my Angie, and that made all the difference.
Would you ever go on another reality TV show?
I’d love to do celebrity Big Brother, I think we should bring that back! I would like to do what I just did, but with food [laughs].
It would also be nice to do something where I’m able to take my shoes off! Being in the jungle we were never allowed to take our shoes off unless we were sleeping – just in case.
But I never wear shoes, or if I wear them they’re not closed shoes – they’re thongs or slip on shoes, so that was one of the biggest challenges for me!
What’s next for you, Yvie?
I’m really open to what comes next – I’d really love to do comedy and I’d love to get back into acting. But I’m just really open to anything.
If anyone still wants to see me on TV I would be happy to oblige!
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