I'm A Celeb star Tulisa reveals she is terrified to be back on TV after ten year hiatus but admits the jungle 'can't be worse than 2013' after she was involved in drugs sting

She has spent more than a decade out of the public eye after she was caught up in a drug sting by the infamous Fake Sheikh which left her considering taking her own life.

But now Tulisa Contostavlos, 36, is making her television comeback by appearing on this year's I'm A Celebrity and said: 'There's nothing worse in that jungle than what happened in 2013.'

Mazher Mahmood, also known as the Fake Sheik, a former journalist for the Sun on Sunday was jailed for 15 months for perverting the course of justice after he tricked Tulisa into buying cocaine for him while he posed as a film producer.

Since she stood on the steps of Southwark Crown Court in 2014 vindicated and condemned the 'horrific entrapment' from Mahmood, Tulisa has remained largely out of the spotlight, save an N-Dubz tour in 2022.

Speaking about her entry into the I'm a Celebrity jungle on Sunday, she said: 'Every time I think, you know, this is going to be hard, I think I've done it, I can do it.

'And then I just got to the point, well, going on television again is the most uncomfortable situation I could possibly put myself in.

'And I feel like I've been on this kind of healing cycle for the past 11 years, really, since all the crap, since X Factor, since the trial.

'And this, for me, would complete the cycle, because it's the last thing on the list is this overwhelming fear that I have or have had. I'm not feeling it today, but overall, of this fear of being on especially TV.'

The case was brought against Mahmood after Tulisa was accused of arranging for him to be sold £800 of cocaine by one of her contacts following an elaborate sting for the Sun on Sunday newspaper in May 2013.

During a meeting at the Metropolitan Hotel in London, Mahmood posed as a film producer and plied the popstar with alcohol as they discussed an acting role alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.

As Smith drove the former X Factor judge home to Hertfordshire, she allegedly spoke about a family member who had a drug problem.

The following ten years were 'hell' for Tulisa who had an entire future ahead of her ruined by the sting.

Speaking about the ordeal, the I Need You singer said: 'Honestly, I can't tell you.

'Sure, at times it's been horrific for me at moments in the past 10 years, but that's just not the perspective that I have now. I take it all as knowledge.

'Sure, at times it's been horrific for me at moments in the past 10 years, but that's just not the perspective that I have now. I take it all as knowledge.'

'Knowledge Is power and ultimately a blessing because I wouldn't be where I am without it, I wouldn't change a thing.

'I don't think I would have been able to do this unless I was feeling in such a strong content place. So it could only have been now. It couldn't have been before.'

The singer revealed that she said yes to I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! because she is now in her 'f**k it era', posing for a sexy shoot with FAULT magazine on Wednesday.

The N-Dubz alum posed up a storm for the publication where she wore a racy red leotard and went braless in a denim co-ord.

Tulisa is already in Australia for I'm A Celeb which begins on Sunday night and is joined by the likes of Oti Mabuse, Coleen Rooney and Jane Moore for this year's series.

Speaking ahead of flying out she said of why she signed up this year: 'I've never wanted to. I actually was at a point where I was like, 'I would never, ever do this.' 

'But we're all forever evolving and growing and I just got to a point in my life where I was just in my f**k it era. I was like, 'Does it seem really uncomfortable?' Yeah. 'Is it super exciting?' Yes. 

'Are you gonna have a crazy rollercoaster journey?' Yes. So do it! All the things surrounding the fear around it, I'm just like, 'So what! Just let it go. Do it!' 

Elsewhere in the interview she spoke about how she has coped with fame over the years.

She said: 'Like, I am famous and I need to get a grip. I'm fully aware of that. I know the industry I stepped into, so I just need to throw myself balls deep. 

'I'm hoping that when I come out the other side of the jungle, hopefully this fear will be eradicated because I couldn't be in a more public, vulnerable, exposed situation.

'But once it's done and everyone kind of knows who you really are, there's a sense of freedom in that. You're just like, 'Ah, there you go. There's all the rumours put to bed.'