I’m a Celebrity star ‘didn’t have enough money’ as career stalled ahead of jungle stint

Former I'm a Celeb star Emily Atack has revealed she was a 'jobbing actress' who 'didn't have enough money' before entering the jungle in a bid to rejuvenate her career.

The 34-year-old rose to popularity playing Will McKenzie's (Simon Bird) love interest Charlotte Hinchliffe on The Inbetweeners between 2008 and 2010.

But, speaking on Rylan Clark's How to be in the Splotlight podcast, she revealed she struggled to transition away from the 'sexy school girl' roles, admitting "nobody knew what to do with me".

Emily found she was left without "interesting things to say" in roles, having appeared in 'lads mags' and shows with a 'pin-up' image.

However, when approached to do I'm a Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here! in 2018, she felt as though she had a chance to 'reinvent herself'.

Speaking to Rylan, Emily said: “I realised I had to do something different and reinvent myself, so then jungle came knocking.

“I thought this was the perfect thing, I was a jobbing actress kind of going from job to job, I didn’t have enough money, I’d gone through a break-up and was going through a life-changing ‘finding myself’ kind of vibe.

“And I thought ‘what better way?’ Most people just go to a yoga retreat but I decided to do I’m a Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here!

“I wanted people to know who I was as a person. I wanted people realise that I’m not Charlotte and yes, I’ve done lads magazines and all that but I’ve got so much more to say.”

Emily came second in the 18th series of the popular show, with former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp eventually being crowed king of the jungle.

However, the television star says her stint on the programme went 'exactly' how she had hoped it would, having fronted her own programme, Emily Atack: Adulting, and the Emily Atack Show since leaving the jungle.

She also returned to present the final series of I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp, the companion show to the main ITV programme, the following year.