I’m a Celebrity’s Russell Watson ‘training like a lunatic’ ahead of surprise arrival on series

‘I did nearly 60 miles on a Peloton bike and I’ve been hammering the weights,’ revealed the singer

Russell Watson has claimed he has been undertaking intensive training to prepare for his arrival on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

The singer, known for his recordings of classical songs, was announced yesterday (17 November) as a late addition to the line-up of the ITV show’s 20th series.

It was also revealed that West End performer Ruthie Henshall will be joining the roster of contestants in Gwrych Castle.

Between 2006 and 2008, Watson underwent treatment for two brain tumours, the second of which required emergency surgery.

Watson told PA: “The way it affects me now, I have to take replacement hormones so I have to inject growth hormone and I have to take hydrocortisone, steroids, gels, all kinds of different tablets, just to sustain my hormones. But that is something I’ve been doing for the last 12 or 13 years and it’s something I don’t really think about.”

And the singer insisted he was in a suitable physical condition for the rigours of I’m a Celebrity.

“I train like a lunatic,” Watson claimed. “I’ve been training like a lunatic for the last couple of weeks.”

Read more: Inside the ‘haunted’ castle where I’m a Celebrity is filmed

“I’ve got one of those Peloton bikes and last week I did nearly 60 miles on it and I’ve been hammering the weights and everything so I feel like I’m in a good place at the moment to go in there and take on some challenges and also I’m a very competitive human being.”

I’m a Celebrity airs nightly at 9pm on ITV.