Coronation Street’s Jennie McAlpine has admitted one of her major concerns about signing up for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! was burning in the hot Australian sunshine.
The 33-year-old has said her pale skin and red hair means she has to take extra precautions in the sun – which isn’t ideal when the I’m A Celeb campers spend three weeks out in the open air in the middle of the Aussie jungle.
But thankfully for Jennie, trusty Medic Bob came to the rescue!
Speaking to The Mirror before arriving in the jungle, the soap star – best known as Fiz Brown – revealed she got permission from Corrie boss Kate Oates to do the show, but then began to panic about two things: missing her son Albert’s third birthday and coping with the heat.
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“My son, it being his third birthday when I am there, and me being a redhead and not very good in heat at all, were the two reasons that I said, ‘I don’t think I can do this.’ when they first asked me,” she said.
“That’s basically what I said.”
Jennie added: “People who know me, the main reason they’ll be shocked, they’ll think, ‘You in hot weather? I mean you seriously?’ Even in England I’m always with my factor 50 and I’m always in the shade.
“I do burn easily though. Medic Bob has said that he will be there with factor 50 at all times.”
Medic Bob to the rescue!
The actress has said it was a massive decision to sign up for the ITV show as it could mean weeks away from son Albert if she stays until the very end
“I had to really think about this because the biggest thing is leaving my little boy,” she said.
“Even the thought of it beforehand made me shudder.”
“It’s going to be his birthday whilst I am in the jungle and I spend all my time with him when I am not working on Corrie.
“Leaving Albert when I first go into the camp will be my trial… It really will.
“I know Albert is going to have an amazing experience as he is coming to Australia with my husband and I.
“That will be lovely.”
Jennie said although it will be hard to say goodbye to Albert, she was inspired to take part in I’m A Celebrity by her late father.
“I lost my dad earlier this year and that was a big thing. But I knew he would have told me to do it,” she said.
“He always told me to do stuff and he always encouraged me. He kept saying, ‘Give it a go to find out if you are good enough or not’.
“And so that was a big part of it.”
And she’s hoping her I’m A Celebrity experience provides inspirational for Albert.
“For me it is about stepping out of my comfort zone and challenging myself,” she said.
“I am always telling Albert to give things a go even at his little age and so now I can say to everyone, ‘They asked me to do I’m A Celebrity and I did it’.”
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Jennie arrived in the jungle on Sunday night alongside nine other brave celebs.
Also taking part in this year’s series are WAG Rebekah Vardy, The Saturdays Vanessa White, Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo and comedian Shappi Khorsandi.
Completing the line-up is Boris Johnson’s dad Stanley, ex Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas, retired footballer Dennis Wise, boxer Amir Khan and YouTuber Jack Maynard.