MUSICAL icon Ruthie Henshall is heading into the I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! camp as a late arrival tonight.

The Olivier award-winning actress, who used to live in Manningtree, revealed ahead of tonight's show she won’t be scared if there are any spooky trials because she has had a prank played on her before by members of the Royal family.

The 53-year-old mum, who is famous for playing the lead roles in musicals such as Chicago, said the royals played a joke on her when she was staying with them in Scotland.

Ruthie dated Prince Edward on and off for five years when she was younger.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Campers - the celebs in this year's series

She said: “I got jumped out on by Charles and Edward when I was having a cook out with them.

“They told me there were ghosts in this particular place and when I went to the toilet with a candle - as there was no electricity - they waited for me to come out and then jumped out on me.

“I screamed the place down. I may well have woken Victoria. They were hilarious.”

She is not sure if the Queen and Prince Edward will watch her in the camp, but says she is sure they enjoy reality TV shows.

Ruthie’s friend and former I’m A Celebrity star John Barrowman persuaded her to do the programme.

“So he is to blame if the weather is good or bad,” she added.

Ahead of joining the camp Ruthie said: “I am really looking forward to going in. I have been doing the same thing, which I adore, for 35 years and now I want to shake my life up a bit.

“I have also got two teenagers and I can’t wait to get away from them. What’s worse - living with two teenagers or going in a castle - thank you very much, I will take the castle.”

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Hosts - Ant and Dec present the show 

The star said she’d love to win and as a single mum.

“It would be lovely to win as then you would feel you had got through it all and risen to every challenge, ”she explains.

“And whilst romance is the last thing I am thinking about, if there was somebody rather lovely and delicious to look at around my age who was single as well, then that would make it all the more lovely.”

Ruthie's fact file

Phobias: Enclosed spaces

Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the castle: This will be the first time I am going on a show as me rather than a character

Role in the camp: Clown and shoulder to cry on

Miss most: Caffeine

Dream campmate: George Clooney, Gerard Butler –the list goes on

Relationship status: Single

 

 

I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! is on ITV at 9pm.