The I’m A Celebrity jungle has a way of bringing past demons to the surface, and Richard Reid was in no way exempt.
The former gossip guru is the latest in a slew of stars opening up about their troubling history on the show, and his has well and truly struck a sombre chord.
Richard Reid has opened up about his harrowing alcoholic past. (Image: Network Ten)
Revealing that he has been proudly sober for seven years now, the American told of the harrowing events that led to his sobriety.
“I look back at when I drank, and I drank way too much. I would drink to celebrate, I would drink when I was depressed, and was tired,” he told fellow camper Justin Lacko.
But it was his “big benders” that sparked the gossip writer to really check himself.
His first scare came after his drunken antics led him to be hospitalised for being too drunk and dehydrated.
Another incident occurred while he was in Sydney – the brunette took a sleeping pill when he was hungover, which caused him to fall into a trance and black out.
During a meeting, an intoxicated Reid also “grabbed a journalist’s breasts, was all over Napoleon Perdis, and then they tell me I tried to urinate on a pot plant,” he revealed to Justin.
“None of this I remember. It was humiliating. I was so ashamed.”
He revealed his alcoholic antics went too far. (Image: Network Ten)
The incidents were confronting for Richard, who has dealt with the fallout from them since.
“Its been really hard, it’s really hard what people say, “You’re not fun.” I’m fun, I’m just not drunk. I’ve kept my career, I’m trying to keep my looks, you know. It just works for me.”
WATCH: I’m a Celeb 2019: Richard Reid reveals run in with Ricky Martin. Story continues after video…
Richard wasn’t the only celeb to open up on alcohol abuse on Thursday evening’s show.
TV presenter Luke Jacobz also admitted that if he’s not working or auditioning he stays at home and drinks a lot.
He revealed it to his camp mate Natasha Exelby, who seem surprised.
“Well, Luke, unless you are the world’s greatest actor, you have probably been the most true to yourself,” she said.
“I keep waiting for you to drop the ball on this whole nice guy act and you haven’t.”
Luke then revealed that he isn’t usually down, but if he is it’s for a good reason.
“When I’m not working and when I’m not auditioning I just don’t leave the house and I drink a lot.”
“When I’m really really busy, and when I don’t have a day off, everything in my life is up to date… Once my engine starts I run really well but when it stops I’m terrible, I’m a mess.”
Luke has been candid about his struggles on the show. (Image: Network Ten)
Opening up to TV WEEK before he entered the jungle, Jacobz revealed the difficult reason about why he left Australia for LA.
Following the death of his beloved father, John, Luke sought an out.
“I wanted to run away from dealing with it,” he said.
“I thought if I went over there, I’d be distracted.”
