14 November 2023 , 19:00
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TV favourite Chris Kamara has told of his upset at not fulfilling a dream trip to the I'm A Celebrity jungle on health grounds.
The Ninja Warrior host and Sky Sports football pundit has spoken about his brave battle with apraxia - a condition that has made his mobility and speech slow. It forced him to step back from a number of TV roles like Soccer Saturday and Steph's Packed Lunch, and now from appearing on the ITV show.
Last night, celebrities were confirmed for this year's series including former politician Nigel Farage, Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson, JLS singer Marvin Humes and EastEnders actress Danielle Harold.
Chris Kamara says not going on I'm A Celebrity is his "biggest regret" (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Yet despite undergoing specialist treatment in Mexico which Kamara says has him back to "75 percent" of his old self, the ex-Leeds United footballer said turning down I'm A Celeb is his "big regret". He is close pals with Ant and Dec, having appeared on Saturday Night Takeaway in the past, and revealed in his brand new memoir 'Kammy' how he wanted to reunite with them in the jungle.
He added: "I struggle to watch myself in my pre-apraxia days – not that I was ever a big fan of watching myself on TV in the first place – so I haven’t had a trawl through YouTube, but I have many happy memories to carry me through, such as the six years I appeared on Saturday Night Takeaway with the brilliant Ant and Dec.
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"I’d have seen even more of them had I said yes to the regular requests to go on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, but I always turned the jungle down because of my commitment to Soccer Saturday and Goals on Sunday. My intention was to do it one day, once my Sky contract came to an end, but I’m in no shape to do so now, sadly. Neither my body nor mind could cope. I couldn’t face hearing the words, 'Chris Kamara is exempt from this task due to health issues.' No chance. It’s a big regret."
The latest series of I'm A Celebrity has confirmed its full cast for this year as the 21st series gets underway. This year will feature US actress Jamie-Lynn Spears, Made in Chelsea's Sam Thompson, This Morning host Josie Gibson, First Dates star Fred Sirieix, YouTuber Nella Rose, GB News presenter and former politician Nigel Farage, MasterChef UK and newspaper food critic Grace Dent, JLS singer Marvin Humes, former EastEnders actress Danielle Harold and Hollyoak's longest serving actor Nick Pickard.