PILL-popping posh boy Spencer Matthews has admitted he was kicked out of
I’m A Celebrity after begging show bosses to hand over his daily fix of
steroids.
The Made in Chelsea star, 26 — who was previously caught sniffing cocaine —
yesterday revealed he was taking the drugs in the run-up to his jungle stint
and had “screwed up”.
After failing to wean himself off the performance-enhancing tablets he was
forced to go cold turkey when he entered the camp this week.
But he soon had to call in production staff to confess he could not cope
without the pills and desperately urged them to hand over his stash.
Stunned show chiefs refused to give him the drugs, which he said he took to
bulk himself up ahead of a boxing match. They told him they had no choice
but to give him the boot.
Last night sources told The Sun on Sunday: “Spencer had used steroids in
Australia before the show but didn’t take them into the camp.
“After a few days he admitted he’d been taking pills and was struggling to
cope without them. He wanted staff to pass them over on the sly.
“But ITV were never going to give him steroids, so after much discussion over
whether he could continue without them they had to let him go.
“Spencer was desperate to stay but he had to leave there and then. He was
devastated, but unfortunately there was no way back from there.
“At the end of the day he ruined his own chances.”
Spencer had impressed the show’s fans by keeping his cool under pressure after
joining the camp late alongside fellow reality TV stars Vicky Pattison and
Ferne McCann.
But he had to pull staff to one side ahead of Friday’s Every Critter Counts
trial.
And after telling them he needed his hit of drugs to continue, he spent
several hours discussing his steroid dependency with shocked producers.
The drugs, which most users inject, are designed to build up muscle mass but
can lead to cancer, heart attacks and strokes.
Other side-effects include high blood pressure, infertility, erectile
disfunction and baldness.
Soon after talking through his situation, Spencer was hauled off the jungle
site in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, and moved to a secret hotel before
flying out of Brisbane airport yesterday.
Arriving at the airport flanked by security guards, he barely spoke but
muttered “I’m fine” as he
caught a flight back to the UK via Abu Dhabi.
Just hours later, his representatives released a statement in which he
admitted making a mistake by taking the steroids before the show.
In the apology, he said that he had made “a serious error of judgment”.
The West London lothario, who signed up for the show to prove that “Chelsea
boys are as tough as nails”, admitted: “I screwed up and have some
explaining to do. Shortly after I arrived in Australia, I told the
production team that I was taking a steroid-based medication that had begun
some weeks ago.
“It was in preparation for a charity boxing match which, ironically, never
took place. Vanity, I suppose, had been the reason for wanting to bulk up
for the fight.
“I had intended to come off the pills gradually, but there was no time to
before I reached the jungle.”
He added: “My admission to the production team that I was still taking these
pills led to the conclusion that it would be unsafe for me to stay in the
jungle — a decision which I found extremely hard to stomach.
“I pushed back but ultimately the show’s duty of care prevailed and bags had
to be packed.
“Taking these pills was a serious error of judgment, which I regret. I’ve
disappointed family, friends and fans and would like to apologise.”
Spencer also thanked ITV for their support, calling them a “class act”.
He said he wants “another shot” on I’m A Celeb, adding: “I loved every minute
of the jungle and wish the remaining contestants the best of luck.” Spencer
said before entering the jungle that he had been “training hard” for the
boxing match.
He insisted: “I was preparing for a charity boxing fight the whole time up to
this. I was supposed to fight the guy the night before leaving, but
unfortunately he pulled out.
“I did train very hard and I think it would have been a good fight.”
Spencer was happy to show off his toned torso to other campmates.
And after he bonded with 28-year-old ex-Geordie Shore star Vicky — who
admitted being surprised that he was not “a posh t***er” — Ferne remarked
that a romance might be on the cards. The 25-year-old Towie star said: “I
think they fancy each other — just an observation.”
He had appeared unfazed during one grim Bushtucker Trial in which he was
covered with cockroaches.
But hosts Ant and Dec announced on Friday night’s show that he had left the
camp. No further mention of him was made, with all discussion among
campmates edited out.
This is not the first time Spencer has been entangled in a drugs scandal. In
2012, he was caught on camera snorting cocaine by The Sun on Sunday.
He later tried to buy the images to dodge the backlash.
In his autobiography, Confessions of A Chelsea Boy, he also confessed to
taking a double dose of acid while holidaying in St Barts.
An ITV spokesman said last night: “We wouldn’t comment on contestants’ medical
matters.”