Tulisa Was Already Giving I'm A Celebrity Fans X Factor Flashbacks Before She'd Even Entered Camp

Once "The Female Boss", always "The Female Boss"...
Tulisa is one of 10 contestants now in the I'm A Celebrity jungle
Tulisa is one of 10 contestants now in the I'm A Celebrity jungle
ITV/Shutterstock

Tulisa was already stealing the show on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! before she’d even set foot in camp.

On Sunday night, the new season of I’m A Celebrity got underway, with the N-Dubz star joining a star-studded cast that also includes two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion Oti Mabuse, McFly musician Danny Jones and media personality Coleen Rooney.

And the chart-topping singer managed to raise a smile just one minute into the new series, when the titles rolled and she gave everyone flashbacks to 2011.

Regular viewers will know that the show’s opening sequence shows each of the campmates striking a pose while their face flashes up in the I’m A Celebrity logo.

And if you watched Tulisa’s stint on the X Factor panel back in the day, it probably won’t have come as much of a surprise to see what pose she picked…

For anyone not sure of the significance of Tulisa’s arm gesture, each week on The X Factor she would raise her arm while being introduced, to show off her tattoo of the slogan “The Female Boss”.

And as soon as she performed her famous move, viewers were instantly taken back to early 2010s...

tulisa bringing back the female boss. only the 2011 real ones know #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/yYiZxDi8wL

— lizzie (@goldaIchemy) November 17, 2024

The gasp I let out seeing Tulisa do her signature arm gesture during the opening credits #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/ogtziZYzav

— Steven Bonaventure x (@absolutegazelle) November 17, 2024

TULISA DID THE ICONIC ARM RAISE #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/PhDlYdDS17

— Adam (@adamhale_) November 17, 2024

Tulisa showing her female boss tattoo in the titles is exactly what we need, our queen & female boss x #ImACeleb

— Ivy Alexxander (@IvyAlexxander) November 17, 2024

No cause why I just KNOW that Tulisa’s pose would be of her female boss tattoo 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #ImACeleb

— K 🩵 (@_Stay_With_Kel) November 17, 2024

Tulisa flashing her Female Boss tattoo for her title card.. I’m hooked already #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/Lt1cMEzy35

— teened tomatoes🥫 (@BRATTYBARBl) November 17, 2024

OMG Tulisa did the Female Boss salute #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/BcYyaCtSuA

— Lewis Fagg (@lewisd_f) November 17, 2024

not tulisa getting the female boss tattoo in the intro #imaceleb

— rach moug (@rachelmoug) November 17, 2024

Tulisa would even go on to use her “Female Boss” moniker as the title of her debut solo album and signature perfume.

However, this did end up raising controversy, when it was suggested by viewers who complained to Ofcom in 2011 that she could be illegally promoting the scent with her gesture.

Tulisa on The X Factor in 2012
Tulisa on The X Factor in 2012
Ken McKay/Thames/Shutterstock

“I was showing off my tattoo long before The X Factor. It’s always been my trademark and it’s always been my nickname,” she insisted at the time, before pointing out the perfume’s name was actually TFB, a shortened version of the moniker.

The show told me it’s OK, I can carry on doing it – and I will,” she added.

Tulisa eventually parted ways with The X Factor after two seasons, having previously mentored Little Mix, who made history as the show’s first winning group.

Little Mix went on to become one of the most successful groups in X Factor history, going on hiatus in 2022 after more than a decade together.

Tulisa also mentored Ella Henderson, who continues to achieve chart success, most recently returning to the top 10 earlier this year.

I’m A Celebrity continues on Monday night at 9pm on ITV1.

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