Kelly Brook experienced her first iconic I'm A Celebrity jungle shower moment during Wednesday's show, though the dip took an unexpected turn when leeches sent the campmates scrambling from the water.
From Bikini Prep to Leeches
The 45-year-old former glamour model, who had previously admitted to taking her role as a 'pin-up' signing seriously, made sure her swimwear was camera-ready. Kelly revealed she had multiple bikinis screen-tested by wardrobe before her jungle stint to ensure the perfect look.
True to form, Kelly didn't disappoint viewers when she slipped into a low-cut palm leaf design swimsuit, pulling her hair back into a high bun before heading to the creek with campmates Shona McGarty and Alex Scott.
The fun began with Kelly declaring herself 'Jungle Woman' as they playfully pulled Shona into the water, but the laughter quickly turned to screams when they spotted leeches in the creek. The trio jumped out immediately, with Kelly later telling the Bush Telegraph: 'We were seconds away from being covered in leeches and eaten alive. Oh my god! We just could not get out of that pool quick enough.'
Following in Myleene's Footsteps
Ahead of her jungle adventure, Kelly had spoken about her inspiration from fellow presenter Myleene Klass's iconic 2006 shower moment, which many believe helped secure her runner-up position on the show.
'Myleene did talk to me about the shower,' Kelly shared. 'She said that when she arrived, she actually had to run out and get a bikini. So I made sure that I packed plenty of swimsuits, so we had loads of options.'
However, Kelly acknowledged that Myleene's famous white bikini moment couldn't be deliberately recreated. 'That iconic scene of her in the shower looking incredible, that was just that was not a pre-planned thing. I think it would be very difficult to try and recreate something like that.'
From Glamour Model to Business Mogul
While Kelly made her name as a Page Three model in the nineties, she's keen to show viewers she's evolved since then. The presenter warned ITV viewers: 'I'm not a 20 year old bikini model anymore. Life changes and your body changes, and I just hope people are accepting of me and how I look now.'
Her jungle appearance forms part of a carefully considered career strategy. Kelly plans to capitalise on her jungle fame to launch an Italian food range with her husband, Jeremy Parisi.
According to the GOV.UK website, she has recently filed papers with the UK's Intellectual Property Office to trademark the name Parisi Arpino for selling 'pizzas; pasta; pasta sauce', plus olive oils, meats and cheeses. The trademark will remain in place for 10 years once approved.
Kelly's jungle journey continues on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! airing nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
