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SHE MAY LOVE TO PARTY AND SHOP, BUT DON’T LET THAT FOOL YOU – CARLY ZUCKER’S A WAG ON A MISSION. AND SHE’S NOT AFRAID TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY

By Louise Gannon, Photography By Alistair Morris

As the fiancée of a Premiership footballer, Carly Zucker lives the ultimate WAG lifestyle. Home is a £5million mansion in Surrey, she has a giant rock on her ring finger, and her wardrobe is bursting with couture clothes and dozens of designer handbags.

So why is she turning her back on all this and leaving England and Chelsea player Joe Cole, 27, behind for weeks of rain, mud, rations, rats, bugs and terrifying tasks as a contestant on I'm A Celebrity? Her answer might surprise you.

"People have a preconceived idea of me being this girl who just goes out shopping for designer dresses and hangs out at star-studded parties," she explains.

"I love them – but I can easily live without them. They're not what I'm all about, and I know I'm a very lucky girl.

"The same week I met Joe in a bar, I was going off backpacking in Thailand, although since I've been with him I haven't had a chance to do that sort of thing.

"He knows I'm an adrenaline junkie and I love doing things that terrify me. In Las Vegas I went on the most extreme roller coaster – Joe hates anything like that.

"The great thing about going into the jungle is that I'll get to do scary things, but ultimately I'll be in safe hands."

Carly, 24, says she has previously turned down the chance to indulge her thrill-seeking side, but decided this time the opportunity was just too good to miss.

"One of my closest friends is a fitness instructor, like me, and twice a year she goes off on amazing adventure holidays – she's been skydiving and trekking up mountains to see wild gorillas.

"She always asks me to go and I'd love to but Joe hates the idea of me doing anything dangerous, so I don't.

"I'm not bothered about getting filthy, not washing my hair, or being seen with no make-up on. I'm even up for having rats running over me at night. I'm not saying the idea doesn't terrify me, but I love the fact that I'm going to be doing it. I want to show that I'm not a spoilt little princess – I'm totally up for the challenge.

"I love the idea of stripping everything away and going right back to basics. It's incredibly liberating."

It was, she explains, the prospect of her multimillion-pound wedding to Joe next year that motivated the east London girl to say "yes" to the jungle experience.

She explains: "I have a fantastic life, but next year Joe and I are getting married and we want to have kids pretty soon after.

"I'll never do anything like this once I'm a wife and mother, so this is my last chance to give myself one huge, final challenge.

"Joe was supportive about the whole thing. He's just told me to be myself and enjoy the experience."

However her fiancé is worried about one thing – how Carly will look when she emerges from the Australian outback. Carly faced criticism last year after losing her curves and dropping to a size 6. She's now a slender but sensible size 8 – and her fiancé is determined she should stay that way.

"Joe hates it when I'm too thin – he much prefers me when I'm bigger," says Carly.

"I was always a skinny kid and I lose weight quickly – that's one of the reasons I won't be doing any exercise out in the jungle. You just can't afford to burn off any calories with the tiny food rations you get.

"I know Joe doesn't want me to lose too much weight, so I'm making sure I have two protein drinks a day before I go, and I'm eating lots of chocolate snacks so I bulk up a bit."

Carly has packed two bikinis to show off her washboard stomach, but she won't be flirting with any of the male stars.

"I'm going to miss Joe so much," she says. "The longest I've ever been away from him is two weeks, when he's been playing abroad, so being apart from him is going to be the most difficult thing."

Sadly, Joe's football commitments mean he can't fly out to Oz to support Carly, who admits she hasn't seen much of the show and isn't sure what to expect.

"If I knew too much, it would put me off!" she laughs. "I've seen bits and pieces, and I loved Janice Dickinson. I know I may have to eat kangaroo's bits, which makes me feel sick, but I hope I could do it. I just want to show everyone I'm up for any challenge. I think I'll surprise people."

She admits Joe has given her one piece of advice. It's not about flirting with other guys or revealing too much of her body – it's about singing. Carly explains:

"Whenever we go out and there's karaoke, I'm straight up there singing. Joe says my voice is awful, so I won't sing or I'll be voted out!"

• I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! starts tonight, 9pm, ITV1, followed by I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here Now! on ITV2.

>> I'm A Celebrity! Awards the legendary moments...

PHOTOGRAPHY: REX, LFI HAIR: JONNY ENSTROM AT GUY KREMER WINCHESTER MAKE-UP: RUTH WARRIOR AT NAKEDARTISTS.COM USING SHU UEMURA STYLING: TRACEY LEA SAYER CARLY WEARS: DRESS BY SARA BERNSHAW (BERNSHAW.COM), SHOES BY NEW LOOK (0500 454094)