Hot on the heels of her unexpected departure from the I’m A Celeb jungle, Danielle Harold has revealed that her jungle adventure has given her a gang of new lifelong friends – as well as more confidence to come out of her shell.
The 31-year-old actor started the show quietly with the larger characters taking centre stage but over the course of her three weeks in camp, Danielle grew into the series and was both a joker and the camp leader by the end of her 20 days in camp.
After leaving the camp on Thursday night, she said: "I was a little bit nervous about going in. It was the first thing I’ve done as myself after becoming an actress. I was like I’m going to be around big characters and I felt that new kid at school kind of feeling. So for me it was just such a great experience to enjoy something as me and not have to think like someone else.
"I came out of my shell and I think that's massively down to everyone in there. It's just like you don't know anybody so you feel a little bit nervous. And feel pretty alone when you're going in and that goes so fast because you just bond on a different level and super, super quick."
Danielle then went on to reveal that the person who has had the biggest impact on her in camp was Sam Thompson, the cheeky Made In Chelsea star that Danielle now wants to win the show.
She added: "Sam was the first person that I spotted in the helicopter place when we did the tower trial[Pole Position] at the beginning and we just clicked instantly.
"Sam is just my new brother. He is only calm when he's sleeping. He has a little cheeky nap. We laugh, I say oh you’re at 80 percent and then he’s like NAP and then ten minutes later he’s charged up to 100 percent and then he’s like a little bunny rabbit running around. He’s a superstar, if you’re dipping you haven’t got a choice, he’s there you just charging you up again. He’s a superduper bloke.
"You don't go in thinking you'll be making crazy friendships and I truly have made friends with everyone in there to have 12 best mates. It's just incredible.”
It wasn’t just a blossoming friendship with Sam that helped her to make the most of her time in camp either, as Danielle also admitted she instantly clicked with Jamie Lynn Spears and is "definitely going to America" to see her.
Among her plans for a reunion, the EastEnders actress hoped to "eat some Crawfish in her town and in her village" and then hopes to show Jamie Lynn some sights in London.
Another unexpected friendship to have come from camp life was Danielle’s connection with controversial political Nigel Farage, and saw her close enough to him to agree to do his laundry as well as washing Sam's clothes!
She explained: "Everybody had their own little job as soon as we got in. I was really surprised with how quick we took over camp.
"You know like everyone just found their job and no argument I'm not doing this you don't do this. Everyone was just like, Nigel was up and down that Creek with them buckets of water like I've never seen someone before.
"I was doing all the washing, Nick doing the fire, he made us our own washing line, he made us a broom. That man needs his own eco range. So yeah, just everyone had their own roles in camp,
"Nige, I’ve done his washing for him everyday. It’s not everyday you can say you’ve washed Nigel Farage’s pants in a creek, is it? Yeah, definitely a highlight of my life."
Before going onto the show, Danielle said she hoped to get some more acting gigs in the new year off the back of I'm A Celebrity, after playing Lola Pearce-Brown in EastEnders for many years.
Opening uo about her future plans, Danielle teased she would like to do some comedy, but her immediate plans include enjoying the wrap party on Monday.
"I think a drink and a holiday is at the top of my to-do list," she said.
"Oh god. I can't wait to get everyone back together like how we started because when people leave you massively feel it. Like when I saw Nick I cried when he greeted me at the bridge.
"The guys in there are the biggest gentleman I think I've ever come across in my life. And they were just looking after us so much and they just got me through when I was petrified. I had such a great bond with everybody there, it was great."
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