After Gemma Collins went into the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! jungle and self-diagnosed malaria, she claimed the experience was enough to put her off television for life.
The Only Way Is Essex star left the camp after just three days and flew out of Australia at the first opportunity, after telling a pal she had to “completely re-evaluate” her life.
A friend added to The Sun: “She’s realised what’s important – friends and family, not the glitzy fake world of reality TV.”
Gemma’s protestations lasted a matter of days – she’s CONFIRMED to appear in the TOWIE Christmas special.
The reality star surprised her Essex pals by turning up in Dover as they prepared to board a ferry to France, where they are spending some time away in the run-up to the festive period.
A source told the Daily Mirror: “Gemma’s first thoughts after the jungle were to contact the producers and secure her spot in the end-of-year special.
“She’s an Essex girl at heart, so that’s where she feels at her most confident and best. She did think about taking some time off because she has been having such a difficult spell recently.
“But then she realised that she feels at her absolute best when she is surrounded by her Essex mates, in places she knows and loves.
“That’s where she can be the fabulous GC.”
Before Gem went to Oz police were called to her Brentwood home after her ex-boyfriend Alex Moss allegedly beat her up.
Gemma’s brother Russell exclusively told this week’s issue of heat that he’s never seen his sister so low: “Underneath the brashness she’s very fragile and I think this could be the final straw. She can only take so much.”
It's thought being back in her home country, surrounded by friends and family, will help Gemma to settle again after her troubles.
The source said: “Gemma feels she can handle coping with the incident better surrounded by her TOWIE mates than she could have in Oz.”
Love her or hate her, she’s certainly got us all gripped...
GALLERY: I'm A Celebrity 2014 - Gemma Collins' most iconic moments
I'm A Celebrity 2014: Gemma Collins most iconic statements
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"People are going to see the real bare, stripped-back me. I might just become Bear Grylls, you never know."We never did get to see Gemma chowing down on a raw snake, drinking her own urine or sleeping inside a rancid camel (yep, Bear Grylls has seriously done all of those things).
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"Yeah alright, I've cracked at the first hurdle. It's like the turtle and the slug or the horse and the rabbit or something, I can't remember what it is."Who could forget the age-old story of the turtle and the slug?
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"If they don’t give us a treat I’m going to kill myself.”Well, the suicide threats didn’t work, but outside of the jungle is a plentiful world of treats just waiting for Gem.
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"I've never been in a shower which takes so much hard work but you've just got to roll with it, like Oasis said."
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"I feel like I’ve got malaria. My poo is bright fluorescent yellow, we’ve got to get out of here today.”Symptoms of malaria do not include yellow poo, constant whinging or an Essex accent, sorry Gem.
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"Seriously, I'd give anything for a bit of dried fruit. Dried fruit! I'm not even asking for a ham sandwich. You know what I mean? With a packet of Quavers on the side."We’re not sure dried fruit is the best remedy for fluorescent yellow diarrhea Gem, maybe just stick to dry bread and water until the ‘malaria’ clears up.
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"People that murder get treated better than this, and that's the truth. Even a murderer gets fed three times a day."Murderers also don’t get paid at least £25,000 to go on a jolly holiday to Australia either. They also tend not to have strops and quit their sentences, but who cares about the details….
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"If I'm not in that camp in three minutes, I'm quitting."That’s what the helicopter was for, Gem.