Coronation Street Blog: Simon Gregson joins I'm a Celebrity castle

Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald in Coronation Street, has joined I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

And he revealed to Digital Spy the advice he received from his Corrie co-stars who've done the show before.

"They did Australia, of course, so that's a whole different kettle of fish," he said. "(a) The temperature. And (b) the fact that everything is designed to kill you in Australia, whereas I think Wales might be a little tamer. Famous last words!

"But they just said be yourself. Of course, the food isn't great, rice and beans all the time, but for me it's a bonus because I desperately need to lose weight. So I'm looking at it like the worst boot camp in the world."

Simon added that he's been asked to do the programme before. But the fact that it's now filming in Wales, plus some encouragement from his family, tempted him to give the reality show a go this year.

"They kind of asked me a few times in the past, and I think it was kind of known that [I would] never do the show. But the kids and Emma (Simon's wife), every year they say, 'Do the show! Do the show!'. And I just couldn't put up with that chant anymore, so I was like, 'Right, I'll do the show. As soon as it came to Wales, I was like, 'Oh yeah, that might be a bit better'. Because who wants to sit on a plane for like five days? So I was like, 'Okay, let's do it', and so here I am!"

Glenda Young

Novelist published by Headline