I’m A Celebrity doesn't just force-feed assorted nonentities with tarantula hairs, but has the ability to elevate a celebrity’s career. Previous winners Stacey Solomon, Dougie Poynter and Scarlett Moffatt have all felt the benefits of becoming King or Queen of the Jungle, celebrated for grimacing as they eat the parts of animals that no-one - apart from people who eat sausages - would ever dare touch, let alone scoff. For a moment, too, the show even rendered the multiply beleaguered Kerry Katona the nation’s sweetheart.
And I hope it can do similar for Vanessa White, the ex-Saturdays singer who’s headed down under to take part in the filming of the showalongside the likes of Boris Johnson’s dad Stanley Johnson, former boxer Amir Khan, comedian Shappi Khorsandi and ex-Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas. Because Vanessa White is brilliant, and possibly the best member of the Saturdays. Here's why.
1. That voice
Near-acapella tracks aren’t the easiest thing for any group to manage, and you can see by some of the other girls’ deliveries that they’re not in their happiest place right now. But while Una seems cheerful, and Rochelle is hardly struggling, Vanessa soars over them all, belting out the Middle 8 like it’s no biggie. She almost seems relieved to swoop in with the scream-singing, because, to Vanessa, performing is just something innate and comfortable, like that sigh of relief when removing a bra after a long day.
2. She kicked Vas J Morgan to the kerb
Remember the guy who published Tulisa Contostavlos’s sex tape on his celebrity blog? The guy from TOWIE who fancied himself as the UK’s answer to Perez Hilton? Well, he and Vanessa used to hang out, but something along the way happened - maybe it was the release of the Tulisa's sex tape, which was recorded when she was 19, and later released by an ex-boyfriend seeking to knock her down a peg or two. Perhaps it was Vas calling Lydia Bright a pig. Either way, she’s no longer following this legendary hanger-on on Twitter, and that is only a good thing.
3. She’s got some smart views on the press
Having been in the band since she was just 17, subjected to a particular set of taunts and reporting reserved for the least-thin woman in a girl band of five, she’s got a down-to-earth approach to how intense paparazzi can be, recently telling Clash: ‘I know a lot of people would be like, ‘Well you signed up for this’, which is true - I did, but in certain situations where you don’t expect it, it’s quite a scary thing! Especially for a woman. You start going crazy, like, have I been followed, have they been watching me..? It’s weird, it’s so weird!’
4. She exercises for her mind, not her body
And after revealing that her life ‘spun out of control’ in 2010 because she was going out every night and drinking, she said that she turned to exercise - not for beauty reasons (which is fine), but for mental health reasons: ‘I’ve taken up a new hobby instead, exercising. I’ve become obsessed with Pilates, I love it, it’s so relaxing. It’s so addictive.’ When it comes to exercise, it’s great if if can make you look good, but looking good isn’t going to go far if you don’t feel good, right? Seems like she’s got a healthy attitude towards it all
5. That Voice Part Two
No stranger to reality TV, Vanessa was on Popstar to Opera Star, and given the task of singing Summertime from Porgy and Bess in an operatic style, she smashed it, belting the eerie tune out with prowess.
How any of that is going to get her far in the jungle remains to be seen. Though she did spend her early years in Yeovil, Somerset, that’s hardly the jungle, and she grew up in Plaistow, east London, which is definitely not the jungle. And, of course, having a healthy attitude to life and an incredible voice can only get you so far when you've got a witchetty grub stuck in your oesophagus.
You might also be interested in:
Here's Some Proof Keanu Reeves Is The Nicest Human Being Ever
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophwilkinson
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.