Tulisa Speaks Out After Deleting I'm A Celebrity Posts And Pulling Out Of Interview

"I’ve been out of the spotlight for a long time, and I’m still trying to overcome those things. I’ve still got my little demons."
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Tulisa in the I'm A Celebrity jungle last week
James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock

Tulisa has set the record straight after some fans expressed concerns for her following her elimination from I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!.

Earlier this week, the N-Dubz singer became the third contestant to leave the jungle, after which she pulled out of an interview on I’m A Celebrity spin-off show Unpacked for undisclosed “personal reasons”, and removed all of the posts relating to the show from her Instagram page.

In a video posted on Wednesday morning, the chart-topping singer shared that she was feeling “overwhelmed” with the attention she’s received in the past few days.

“When I came out of the jungle, I felt fine first of all,” she began. “And then that evening, my friends went to bed. I was on my Instagram just trying to have a nice little casual scroll... and I was getting a lot of attention and a lot of bombarding – in all of the most positive way.

“But, because it’s been a bit of a while for me, I can get overwhelmed quite easily and I just started to feel a little bit overwhelmed.”

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The cast of I'm A Celebrity 2024
ITV/Shutterstock

Tulisa said she made the decision in that moment to “take a bit of time for me and just chill”, as things were starting to feel “a little bit much”.

She explained that she removed the Instagram posts because they were “not the way I would do” them, and would re-upload some highlights reels of her time in the jungle “when the time is right” and she’s had more “time to process” her experience.

“It’s OK to be a little bit overwhelmed,” Tulisa continued. “I’ve been out of the spotlight for a long time, and I’m still trying to overcome those things. I’ve still got my little demons. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to go and hide back under a rock for another 10 years, it just means that I need a little bit of time to just process and get right with my thoughts.”

She added: “Thank you to ITV and to I’m A Celeb for being really understanding and patient with me. Mental health is important and I am super grateful for all the help and support that I’ve had.

“I just get a bit overwhelmed – I’m a bit of an introvert, guys. I’ve been in the jungle with people who I’d only just met for two and a half weeks, and then I come out and receive loads and loads of attention. And I just needed a little bit of a breather.”

It’s fair to say that Tulisa has had a turbulent time in the spotlight since her profile grew after becoming part of the X Factor judging panel.

At the height of her fame, Tulisa was the victim of a revenge porn incident by an ex-boyfriend, and subsequently faced a number of high-profile legal battles.

In 2013, a year after her debut solo album peaked at number 35, she was reportedly dropped by The X Factor, although she did make a string of appearances on the show the following year.

Tulisa opened up more about the difficulties she’s faced in her career in the 2014 documentary Tulisa: The Price Of Fame.

Help and support:

  • Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
  • Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
  • CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
  • The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
  • Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.