Spencer Matthews: Made in Chelsea star admits he took steroids for I'm a Celebrity 'completely out of vanity'

The reality TV star said he felt anxious and depressed after leaving the show

Spencer Matthews ( Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

Spencer Matthews has admitted the steroids he took which forced him to leave I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! were taken “completely out of vanity” in order to look good in the shower.

The Made in Chelsea star was asked to leave the reality show at the end of last year just three days in after producers became aware he had been taking “steroid-based medication” and deemed it unsafe for him to take part in the show.

At the time, the 26-year-old said he had been taking the pills to bulk up for a charity boxing match in what he described as "a serious error of judgement".

In a frank discussion with BBC Newsbeat, Matthews acknowledged his body image played a role in his decision to take the pills and said he “didn’t give much thought to the consequences or repercussions” of taking them which were offered to him by “someone who is a professional”.

"I really regret the decision, obviously, [it was] probably one of the most costly mistakes I’ve ever made,” he said. “I had an overwhelming sense of just letting everyone down for no real reason. It wasn’t an addiction, it wasn’t an issue so there was really no need for it.

“The excitement of flying out to Australia to do this amazing show, I was so happy to be there. So when the reality set in that I was going home on the third day, I was pretty devastated. For someone who doesn’t get anxious or depressed, I felt pretty anxious and depressed. It was a dark time.”

Matthews said he took the steroids “completely out of vanity”. “I just wanted to look good in the shower [...] there’s a lot of people watching and that can be quite nerve-wracking getting your body out in front of everyone."

He also said steroids are “fairly, worryingly, readily available” and advised young people to steer clear of them, labelling them “unnecessary”.

“I was one of the lucky people who wasn’t affected by taking steroids but many people aren’t so it’s easy just to avoid it.”

Matthews dismissed reports he went to rehab after leaving the jungle, saying he instead took some time off to help build a school for local children in Tanzania.