Tulisa wants public to get to know her 'true authentic self' during I'm A Celebrity stint

Tulisa Contostavlos signed up for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! because she wants to challenge the public's perception of her.

ITV officials unveiled this year's line-up on Monday, revealing that the former X Factor judge will be entering the Australian jungle alongside the likes of Strictly's Oti Mabuse, McFly's Danny Jones, actor Alan Halsall and Coleen Rooney.

In a press release, the N-Dubz singer insisted she wasn't using the reality show to pivot her career - she simply wants the British public to get to know "the real me".

"My number one mission is to be my true authentic self. If me being my authentic self connects with people in a mass way, then it must mean I'm doing something right in life. But I am not going to go looking for it. This isn't a career move for me either. I will always go back to N-Dubz and this is a one-off experience," she stated.

"My friends who I have told are really excited. They feel it will be good for people to see the person I am - not the perception. They are two very different people and they are excited. I just want to be in a place now where I live authentically."

The 36-year-old, who was often depicted as "a chav" in the media at the height of her fame, suffered substantial damage to her reputation in 2013 when she was arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs. Although the trial collapsed the following year, her career never truly recovered.

Tulisa admitted that she has avoided the spotlight "out of irrational fear" for years so signing up for I'm A Celeb "is a big deal".

Her campmates also include former boxing champion Barry McGuigan, radio and TV personality Melvin Odoom, Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough, journalist and Loose Women star Jane Moore and content creator GK Barry.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, once again hosted by Ant and Dec, will kick off on Sunday.