Now, you guys are very well aware that I was a big fan of I'm a Celebrity this year. I watched every episode, well, particularly I was on.
It last year. Were you not a fan last year?
That's true, you didn't even watch it last year?
I did.
I was a fan last year. I was particularly a fan this year because my husband, Matty Jay, was on the show. But we did meet another celebrity again, Reggie Bird. Now Reggie Bird, she was the winner of Big Brother. She's won two separate seasons, and I honestly felt, and I think most of Australia did, that she was just such a standout in this season of I'm a Celeb.
And Reggie herself that she's vision impaired and she is going blind, but she really rewrote what it means to have a disability and to be able to show up and still do everything that every other person was able to do in that campsite, and it was so inspirational. I loved every moment that she was on the screen, and we have her on the show. Reggie, welcome to the pickup.
Oh thank you for having me. Guys.
How are you feeling now that you're at home and you're back to normal life. Are you missing the jungle or are you happy to be out of that hell hole?
Oh?
Look, it is good to be back in your comfort what is it creature comforts or whatever it's called. But I am missing everyone, though, Reggie.
Do you think it was harder or easier than you anticipated?
Easier than what I've thought? Yes, because my past experience of being on Big Brother and doing you know, I've spent what three months in Big Brother and being in there for a month was a breeze for me, Reggie. But not doing those challenges though, Oh.
Yeah, you looked pretty upset when you had to eat that kale.
Reggie.
I'm not gonna lie, but you spoke so beautifully about well about so many things actually, but one thing in particular is what you were going through with being vision impaired. And I don't want to say it wrong, but is it retinitis pigments?
Is that the retis pigmentosa pigmentosa? And can you describe to us, like, what does that mean in terms of what's happening with your vision? Because you can still see a little bit, but you can't see as well as what you were able to.
No, so because I've just got nine degrees of pinhole vision, and I explained to people, it's just like looking through a straw.
Is that going to stay like that? Is that going to deteriorate completely?
Yeah?
Yeah, So they said to me, you've got a fifteen year time frame before you'll totally lose all your side. So I'm just very thankful that of what I've got left. That's why I just make the most of everything in life, because one day I am going to wait up and never ever see anything ever again.
You were such an inspiration on the show, and I think, I mean, I can only imagine the questions you would have had about going in there and doing that, Like everybody has reservations about doing it, but going in and doing that show without being able to see there must have been an additional pressure or fear factor there for you. Yeah.
Well, I was shit scared anyway going in, especially you know, because petrified of everything, you know, especially the heights, siders, bags snakes. I only have one really good night sleeping there because every night I'd sit there just worrying about a spider or some animal coming to get me because I can't see in the dark at all, Like I've got no night vision at all.
You had a really beautiful conversation with Matt at one point in the show, and he asked you what it was if you're going to miss the most when you when you lose your vision, and you said it was seeing your kids. And I think every single parent.
I'm not even a parent, and I upsets me.
It's just I mean, how do your kids, I mean they understand what's happening. Obviously me is a little bit older, but how do they respond to this?
Yeah, look for them as they've got older. That helped me a lot, and I guess that's all they've ever known with me. So yeah, I'm going to miss their faces for sure when I lose my side. That's the biggest thing.
People really have no excuse to complain about that jungle again if you have got in there. I mean like when I was in there, the people complaining left, right and center. Oh we didn't get any mengo tonight, we didn't get avocado.
The worst thing is Regietkoo for a whole week. I got in there and she was like, I have I gone to the toilet.
Over a week, but like you to go and navigate that the way you have, Reggie, it's like you've just won over so many hearts in Australia.
I know that.
I hope you know that by now, but you really have.
Oh thank you.
Yeah.
Today it's the first day I've actually got on and looked at my social media stuff, so oh man, there's some horrible comments as well out there. I'm just like, wow, especially about my eyesight, because you know, a lot of people saying she's fake and ithright, she's in there for sympathy, you know, it's just fall on and I just thinking, Wow, there's so many people just are so quick to judge, and if they spend to day in my shoes, they would understand how I get.
A Reggie, I'm so sorry that you have to put up with that type of commentary because all it really shows is that there is such a lack of understanding around what constitutes blindness and people think it's black or white. You can see all you can't see.
Nah, we're being too lean on them. There just trolls, they're bullies. There's not the lack of education about what happens with blindness. That's not it at all. All I can say to you, Reggie, is someone that has been in that reality world many many times. You will hold on to the negative things that people write to you, but try to ignore it and look at how much support and love and all the beautiful comments you've got,
because the negative comments stand out. But I would hate for you to go through this experience and you listen to these keyboard warriors like please don't.
Yeah, we adore you, Reggie.
Yeah yeah, my sisters, she can't stop reading.
It's right, She's right, Reggie. We absolutely adore you. Congratulations on everything and for coming so incredibly close to getting the Crown of the Jungle. We're just so stoked you.
It was a blast.