I'm A Celeb: Louise Minchin found the sense of 'being controlled' 'very intense'

Louise Minchin struggled with the “sense of being controlled” on 'I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!'

The 56-year-old presenter competed on the ITV1 survival show in 2021 when it had to take place in Gwrych Castle, Wales because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has now based her thriller 'Isolation Island' on the experience of being evacuated during Storm Arwen.

She told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “We were all evacuated in the dead of night and sent into little Airbnbs across north Wales.

“The storm was very dramatic. It took ‘I’m A Celeb’ off air. We were in one strange environment then thrown into another with no access to the world.”

"One of my vivid memories is waking up in the morning when it’s quiet, and you’re the only person awake, and then you sit up and you hear the camera whir and focus on you.

“So there’s a real sense of being controlled. For me, it was very intense.”

Louise has held on to the idea of a novel for a while, but she changed her mind about having her main character, investigative journalist Lauren, being in a newsroom environment, following her reality TV stints.

She added: “I’m a massive fan of reality shows. I love ‘I’m A Celebrity’, and I love that they always have a cast of characters, and I loved the idea of being able to make up my own cast of characters.

“The feeling I hope you get from the book is that feeling of intense scrutiny. You are being watched all the time.

“Everything you do and say is being watched. There’s a sense of claustrophobia and isolation from family and friends.”

Louise is best known for hosting 'BBC Breakfast' alongside Dan Walker but quit the early morning news programme just before her 'I'm A Celebrity' stint after almost a decade.

She has now dedicated her time mostly to writing, but has occasionally stood in for Lorraine Kelly on her eponymous ITV1 chat show.

As for doing more reality shows, Louise said: “I’m desperate to do ‘Race Across the World.

“It’s tough in a wonderful way because of the relationships we see forming.

“If the right show came along, I’d be very happy. But I’m also very happy writing.”