Russell Watson says he needs '£100k I'm A Celeb fee' after not earning a penny this year
The opera tenor has admitted the a six figure I'm A Celebrity pay packet would be welcome following a difficult year, amid rumours he's signed up the gruelling ITV reality show
Russell Watson has explained that he needs the rumoured £100,000 fee he's pocketing from taking part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! as he hasn't earned a penny this year.
The opera singer was quizzed on his involvement on the ITV reality show - due to start next month - during an appearance on Steph's Packed Lunch on Tuesday.
The opera star, 53, is under obligation to keep his part in the series under wraps, but was rumbled attending a photo-call with a number of other celebs last week.
Questioning the star on the speculation, host Steph McGovern said that earning a six figure pay packet was 'alright for a few days in a castle.'
"Yeah it would be lovely," replied Russel. "Not been paid for doing anything else this year!"
Steph then pressed: "If you were doing it, hypothetically speaking, would you be scared of any of the things?"
While the location of I'm A Celebrity has been moved from the Australian outback to Wales' Gwrych Castle, the celebs taking part will still be expected to endure the notorious Bushtucker Trials.
Russell explained that his greatest fear stems from his time battling two brain tumours.
"I’m really claustrophobic, but that is to do with my association from when I had the tumours and the association with MRI scans and as soon as I go in anything that is an enclosed space I start to panic – I didn’t use to before!" he revealed.
Russell was found to have a tumour the size of two golf balls in September 2006.
While the growth was benign, Russell had to undergo emergency surgery to have it removed with his eye sight being comprimised.
Following the operation, Russell temporarily lost his ability to walk.
The tumour then returned a year later, forcing the singer to go under the knife once again and endure months of radiotherapy treatment afterwards.
Following his recovery, Russell is set to face a new challenge by taking part in the 2020 series of I'm A Celeb.
He was spotted attending a photoshoot in North West London last week along with a number of other famous faces.
The likes of Vernon Kay and Jessica Plummer were seen arriving in blacked-out motors in attempt to keep their identities hidden from view.
The celebs are now enjoying their last few weeks of freedom before they descend on North Wales, for what could be a two week stint on the reality show - if they make it to the final.
ITV bosses have had numerous headaches preparing for the 2020 series with the travel restrictions forcing them to move the set from Australia.
Further travel chaos was then inflicted when the Welsh government decided to close the borders to tourists earlier this month following an increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases.
This was then followed up the announcement of a 17 day fire break lockdown that started last Friday.
The fire-break, which will last two weeks and include the half-term holiday, is the tightest in Wales since the UK-wide measures taken during the first-wave.
It means that people most work from home where possible, no gatherings with people you do not live with indoors or outdoors and a ban on all non essential travel.
An ITV source confirmed to the Mirror that show will still be going ahead as planned.
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