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JUNGLE (RULE)BOOK

I was on I’m A Celeb and these are the three shocking things to warn contestants about before they go into the jungle

And one reveals what upsets show bosses during trials

TWELVE famous faces are about to get the shock of their lives as they're plunged into the Australian outback, cut off from the real world.

One man who has been there and very much got the camp T-shirt is former Strictly Come Dancing star Vincent Simone, 44.

Vincent Simone took part in Strictly in 2013
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Vincent Simone took part in Strictly in 2013Credit: ITV
The professional Dancer is also Strictly legend
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The professional Dancer is also Strictly legend

The snake-hipped Italian was a late arrival in the 2013 series and spent 11 days in camp before being voted out.

In an exclusive interview, he has revealed what the latest batch of contestants need to know including the major issue with trials that leaves producers upset.

Speaking on behalf of, Vincent said: "It's surreal. The days are really, really long. They tell you that when they have the meeting with you. They say 'listen, you have to find a way to entertain yourself because days are long'. Luckily being an entertainer, a dancer, I was fine. I was so focused. I dealt with it quite well. Dancing with people, chatting, getting to know people, but it was a long day show."

If day times are arduous then night times are full of fear inducing noises that make sleeping very difficult.

READ MORE ON I'M A CELEB

You'd be forgiven for thinking nights under the stars in jungle would be a quiet affair, perfect for an undisturbed snooze.

But the reality couldn't more different.

"You don't know what time it is," said Vincent. "Even sleeping at night for however many hours we slept. Crickets or whatever, the noise coming from the jungle, oh my, you would never sleep in your apartment with that noise outside but in the jungle you do get used to that."

Perhaps the main reasons I'm A Celebrity has been a TV staple for two decades is due to its terrifying Bushtucker Trials.

Viewers can't get enough of watching household names confront their fears, whether it be eating all manner of nasties, showered by creepy crawlies or buried alive in claustrophobic chambers.

According to Vincent, it's always a disappointing moment behind the scenes when celebs yell the immortal line "I'm a celebrity get me out of here", particularly if it comes at the very start of a trial.

Speaking of his own experience, he said: "The trials, it's fine, you just crack on with it. I'm a performer. I knew 11-12 million people were watching me at that time so 'Vincent, just shut up and crack on with it'. I would have done anything, and also the reality of not having food, people always say 'surely they give you biscuits or a burger or something'. No, unfortunately they don't, that's the reality. So when you do trials, you do really care about winning stars because you are starving. It's not easy."

He continued: "In fact, it's really upsetting because the amount of money, time, work that goes into preparing trials in terms of safety and everything and then when the celebrity fails to do it, it's really upsetting from a production point of view.

"They spend a fortune creating them and when the celebrities say 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here', it's really disappointing. The amount of work that goes into every trial is unbelievable, you don't look at that, all the safety that goes with it.

"They've been spending weeks on that trial then the celebrity goes 'oh sorry', so of course they'll be upset."

The first trial viewers will see when the show launches on Sunday night is the terrifying Pole Position.

Preview pictures feature actress Danielle Harold and food critic Grace Dent shimmying along pipes protruding from the top of a huge tower on the Gold Coast in what is sure to be a memorable opener.

Compared to those who have been crowned king and queen of the jungle, Vincent's stay way brief.

However, it was enough to satisfy his thirst for adventure, and he insists he didn't want to make the final anyway.

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He said: "Watching it back I'd probably have preferred to have gone from day one. I think it would have been a different experience to it but either way, to be honest, I didn't need anything. I was super popular, I had my West End shows, tours booked for two years. I literally did it for the sake of the experience.

"After five days I was happy to go. I didn't go in to win the show because I didn't need the show. I just wanted to have my personal experience."

Pole Position is the first trial of the new series
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Pole Position is the first trial of the new seriesCredit: Australia Media
Vincent spent seven seasons on the BBC programme
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Vincent spent seven seasons on the BBC programmeCredit: BBC
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