Reality TV star and model Vogue Williams has exclusively revealed to the Mirror that she underwent secret hypnotherapy sessions to conquer a crippling fear of cockroaches before entering the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! jungle. The 40-year-old, who was the third celebrity to be voted out after Alex Scott and Eddie Kadi, opened up about a recent "meltdown" that prompted the drastic action.
The Cockroach Meltdown That Led to Hypnosis
Williams confessed that a terrifying encounter with a cockroach in an ensuite bathroom while on holiday in Spain sparked the crisis. So severe was her reaction that she refused to sleep in the same bedroom as her husband, former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews, for three consecutive nights. "I thought this isn't right, I'm going to need to try and do something here to not be so frightened of them," she explained, realising the phobia would be a major liability in the Australian jungle.
Determined to gain an advantage, she sought help from a hypnotherapist. Keen to keep her participation in the ITV show a secret, she was careful with her wording. "I was very careful and said insects instead… she usually helps you give up things such as anxiety," Vogue disclosed. The treatment, she admitted, was perhaps better suited for "seeing the odd cockroach on the ground" rather than the show's infamous trials where "thousands of cockroaches [are] poured on my head."
Reflecting on its effectiveness, she remained pragmatic: "Did it work? I don't know. Am I glad I did it? Yes... because maybe it gave me a slight edge." The edge seemed to pay off, as she later won sweets for her campmates in the 'Jungle Nursery' trial, despite being surrounded by the very creatures she feared.
Missing Spencer Amid His Epic Ironman Quest
While Vogue battled bugs in the jungle, her husband Spencer was undertaking a monumental physical challenge of his own. Matthews had set himself the goal of completing seven full Ironman triathlons on seven continents in just 21 days, which meant he could not travel to Australia to support her.
Vogue admitted his absence and the uncertainty of his wellbeing was a constant weight on her mind. "It was a massive thing on my mind," she said. "I didn't know if he was getting through his challenge. It's such a difficult thing." Her hopes were briefly raised when she received a letter from home revealing he was on the sixth leg in Rio, thinking he might finish in time to fly out. However, he had yet to complete the final leg in Antarctica.
After speaking to him by phone, Spencer vowed to make the arduous four-flight journey to meet her after the show, but Vogue insisted he return home to their children instead. The experience of being apart during their respective ordeals ultimately strengthened her appreciation for their relationship. "I didn't know how much I'd miss him, and I didn't know how much I relied on his support... I think everyone finds that in there," she reflected, adding she plans to "stick to him like glue" upon her return.
Family Reactions and Jungle Anxiety
Back home, Vogue and Spencer's three children – Theodore, six, Gigi, four, and Otto, three – were glued to the screen. Vogue shared that her daughter Gigi became particularly upset watching her mother face snakes in a trial. "She saw me being really scared, because I was genuinely scared of them," Vogue said. She joked that the children would be "raging" that her return also meant the end of unlimited iPad and sweet time, and laughed that they would have loved the show's infamous eating challenges. "Before I went away I had this vomiting bug and they were all trying to come into the toilet to watch me get sick, so they'll be absolutely thrilled," she admitted.
The star also spoke candidly about managing anxiety while in camp, a condition she deals with regularly. "It is something I manage all the time, and it's obviously harder to manage when you're out of your comfort zone," she stated. She tried to maintain a workout routine for her mental health but found her emotions were on a rollercoaster. "Your emotions are just so up and down… within an hour, you could have five different emotions. It's the weirdest thing."
Despite the lows, the hypnotherapy, and the intense missing of her family, Vogue Williams' jungle journey provided a stark reminder of her resilience and the strong support system waiting for her at home.
