I'm a Celebrity star Tulisa's secret health battle - which may mean she is exempt from bushtucker trials

Pop star Tulisa Contostavlos, aged 36, is one of several celebrities who is heading in to Australian jungle for the ITV reality show. However, she may be exempt from one crucual part of it, the testing bushtucker trials, as she’s been battling a muscle-weakening disease for many years.

Despite her on-going struggles, the star was only diagnosed with Bell’s palsy in 2020. Bell's palsy is temporary weakness or lack of movement that usually affects one side of the face, according to the NHS. Treatment with steroids can help and most people get better within six months.

A show source previously said about the trials: “The duty of care on I’m A Celeb is second to none and over the years the cast have been ruled out of challenges for a string of different reasons."

The star, who was previously a judge on ITV talent show the X-Factor and also one third of hip-hop band N-Dubz, has spoken about her health troubles with fellow reality star Olivia Attwood, who also went to the I’m a Celeb jungle in 2022 but left after 24 hours on medical grounds.

She revealed she was diagnosed with having 'three chronically infected' cysts in her cheek and felt as though there were 'ants crawling' across her face. She added that she had facial fillers in order to try and 'balance out' her face, but the swelling kept returning.

Speaking to Attwood on her podcast So Wrong It's Right: “I would have like tingling sensations like little ants crawling in my face. I started seeing doctors all around the UK. Something's wrong with me, what's wrong with my face. it was so scary. This went all the way up until this year it was horrific.

“I constantly felt like my cheek was on fire. I'd have good days and bad days and on some days, I'd take steroids, which would bring it down.

Speaking about the N-Dubz reunion in 2022, she added: “When I was doing that N-Dubz run it was at its worst, so you might see an interview, I look normal. And then you see another interview, it's like, what the hell is going on with my face?”

She also explained that other health woes could have led to her Bell’s palsy. “And I’ve had all these health problems for years – sarcoidosis, immune disorders – and this explains all the symptoms that I was getting and could have been causing Bell’s palsy because in total there was, I think, six of them. They could have been growing over the years, actually triggering the Bell’s,” she said.

She went on: "Right now, I only have filler in my lips. There's no filler anywhere else in my face and I've never spoken about this publicly as I only discovered what was really going on this year."

Discussing her facial cysts she added: “I've no idea what they were caused by, they weren't filler, they were just self-occurring, but I came out of the operation and instantly my face was less swollen. There's some still there so I still have the inflammation but it's way less. In the next two months [the doctor’s] going to go in to get those ones.”

Tulisa is not the only celeb who may not have to take part in the bushtucker challenges. Coleen Rooney also has a health condition which may prevent her from taking part.

The new series of I’m a Celeb starts on Sunday (November 17). Also appearing are Sun columnist Jane Moore, podcaster GK Barry, McFly singer Danny Jones, radio DJ Dean McCullough, boxing legend Barry McGuigan, former Love Island contestant Maura Higgins and the Rev Richard Coles.