I'm A Celebrity's Ashley Roberts has disclosed why she had a change of heart after initially turning down the opportunity to appear on the forthcoming All Stars edition of the ITV series. The Pussycat Dolls singer first appeared on I'm A Celebrity back in 2012 in what is widely considered one of the finest editions of the annual Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly programme.

Ashley was joined in camp by Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, Loose Women's Linda Robson, and former professional darts player Eric Bristow. Reaching the final, Ashley secured second place as EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, who portrays Janine Butcher on the BBC soap, was crowned queen of the jungle.

Establishing herself as a major star in the UK, Ashley subsequently worked on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Channel 4's The Jump and Strictly Come Dancing. Partnered with Pasha Kovalev, Ashley was a runner-up on the Strictly series which was won by Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton.

It was announced on Monday (March 10) that Ashley will be returning to the jungle in the second series of I'm A Celebrity South Africa. The inaugural series of the All Stars programme was won by Myleene Klass in 2023. Joining Ashley in South Africa are Emmerdale and Waterloo Road actor Adam Thomas, TV presenter Scarlett Moffatt, Coronation Street icon Beverley Callard, former champion boxer David Haye, comedian Seann Walsh, Red Dwarf and Coronation Street actor Craig Charles, Olympic legend Sir Mo Farah and TV personality Gemma Collins.

Rounding out the line-up is former footballer Jimmy Bullard and former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp, who was crowned king of the jungle back in 2018. While the series is pre-recorded, viewers will hold the power to determine who is crowned the ultimate legend of 2026 in a live grand final broadcast directly from London.

On Tuesday (March 10), Ashley appeared on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, for whom she works as a showbiz reporter, to discuss I'm A Celebrity South Africa and reveal why she had always vowed she would 'never' take part.

"It's out there! Oh em gee, what am I doing, I've said yes again.. Savannah Bush kind of jungle, it's South Africa, I'm A Celeb legends, 2012...can you believe it," she said. "Listen when the boys [Ant and Dec] first came in and told us they were doing this legends show, I think it was like 2 years ago or something like that, they were like 'Would you do it?' And I was like 'No! Never!' I've always said I'd never do it."

With Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda joking that 'money talks', Ashley said 'there comes a time when you want to challenge yourself a little bit'. She noted: "I was like, I'm going to prove myself I can do some wild things, I said yes... We did shoot a little bit of it last year, but there's going to be a live final this time around which is something they've never done before."

Reflecting on her campmates, Ashley singled out Adam as being 'so sweet', while also praising Sir Mo, crediting him as someone the camp 'wouldn't have survived without' thanks to his culinary talents.

"Listen this show changed my life, it's the reason I'm here, it's the reason I'm an adopted Brit, going back and paying homage to what brought me here," she teased.