Russell Watson has admitted he nearly uttered the infamous words ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ on the show this week when he finally took on a solo trial.
Speaking to MailOnline and other publications following his eviction from the show, the singer, 54, explained that taking on the Rancid Rotisserie challenge caused flashbacks to when he underwent MRI scans amid his previous brain tumour battle.
In the trial, Russell was seen exclaiming ‘how did I get here?’ as he was strapped onto a metal base and suspended over a vat of freezing cold congealed gunk.
Bad memories: Russell Watson has admitted he nearly uttered the infamous words ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ on the show this week when he finally took on a solo trial
This was then rotated and dunked into the slime.
‘It reminded me of being in the MRI chamber, which obviously I always associate with getting bad news,’ the singer said. ‘Lying there, looking at the light, I started to panic.
‘They strapped me in and suddenly, oh my God, I was just so close to saying I can’t do it.’
Russell reflected on what made him soldier on: ‘I thought to myself, I’m here to face my demons and prove to myself that i could actually do it. So I did it.’
Ordeal: The singer, 54, explained that taking on the Rancid Rotisserie challenge caused flashbacks to when he underwent MRI scans amid his previous brain tumour battle
Gross! In the trial, Russell was seen exclaiming ‘how did I get here?’ as he was strapped onto a metal base and suspended over a vat of freezing cold congealed gunk
Russell survived two brain tumours. In September 2006, he discovered he had developed one which was the size of two golf balls after his peripheral vision became blurry.
He underwent a five-hour emergency operation to remove the eight-centimetre tumour at St George’s Hospital in Tooting.
Just over a year later, in October 2007, the classical singer’s vision deteriorated as his tumour returned on his pituitary gland, which was bleeding into his brain.
Days after his MRI scan, Russell underwent another emergency procedure in Cheadle’s Alexandra Hospital, and later recovered with an extensive rehabilitation programme.
Round we go: Russell was rotated on the platform and dunked into the slime
Dunked: ‘It reminded me of being in the MRI chamber, which obviously I always associate with getting bad news,’ the singer said. ‘Lying there, looking at the light, I started to panic’
He spoke candidly about his tumours on the show but insists he might not have if the other celebrities hadn’t asked him.
‘I wouldn’t have mentioned it but they were asking,’ he said. ‘Vernon [Kay] in particular seemed interested in what happened. And I was happy to digress.
‘When I do talk about it people get in touch and say they have had the same tumour and that hearing my story gives them the belief they can get through it too.
‘So if people bring it up I will happily talk about it. It defines me really. I’m the bloke that had the tumours rather than the guy that sings.’
Unhappy birthday? Russell became emotional during his stint on the show, as he celebrated his 54th birthday in camp
Russell said that the experience of being on the show was ‘very claustrophobic’ and that being in the Australian jungle (where the show is usually set) must be nicer in cpmparison.
‘Being in the jungle you can see the sky and there’s fresh air. In Wales, when you go out it’s raining or freezing cold.
‘I can’t begin to describe to you how cold it was. Freezing. I would go to bed and my hands were white. I had my hands in my mouth at night trying to warm them up!’
He said: ‘I can’t begin to describe to you how cold it was. Freezing. I would go to bed and my hands were white. I had my hands in my mouth at night trying to warm them up!’
Poor Russ! He went through the mill during his time on the show, chipping a tooth, bumping his head and being ‘bitten to buggery by beetles’ that he, at one point, found himself doused in
Russell says he lost nearly 20lb during his two week stint, adding: ‘I was pleased about that, I was a big unit when I went in. Now I have to wear two belts!’
He went through the mill during his time on the show, chipping a tooth, bumping his head and being ‘bitten to buggery by beetles’ that he, at one point, found himself doused in.
‘My legs looked like they had red acne rashes on them. It took six days for the rash to go down. I had ants in my pockets and cockroaches down my back!’