Denise Drysdale: ‘I don’t think they want a dead 75-year-old in the jungle’

A TV Legend has entered the South African jungle camp as an intruder on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! Industry veteran Denise Drysdale has vowed to do her best as she embarks on the reality television challenge.

Many give up caffeine before heading into the jungle on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! Others make sure they are tip top fit.

For veteran Aussie TV star Denise Drysdale, it has been a matter of simply doing her best to stay off the booze.

Ernie Sigley and Denise Drysdale on television in July 1996.

Denise Drysdale and Patti Newton during their performance at the Melbourne Fashion Festival Myer Centenary of Federation gala in 2001.

“My left arm is a bit slack from not picking up the glass,” Drysdale told The Daily Telegraph. “I must tell you, as preparation I have given up alcohol.

“When I say I’ve given up, I have had a few drinks since I found out I was going but I have really cut down. I didn’t want to get the bloody heebie jeebies in the jungle.

“I’ve been really good. I haven’t been running or anything, I’ve just given up drinking, that’s my preparation.”

Denise Drysdale is entering the South African jungle for I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!. Photo: Exclusively supplied.

The 75-year-old multiple Gold Logie Award winner joined the cast as an intruder a week into the series. Eleven castmates went in on series premiere, among them Drysdale’s former Studio 10 colleague Tristan MacManus.

There’s also Paralympic sporting great Ellie Cole, American actor Frankie Muniz, ironwoman Candice Warner and celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges.

Ernie Sigley and Denise Drysdale with the Duke of Westerns, John Wayne, at the Logie Awards, 1975.

“Christ I didn’t know it was a game,” Drysdale said when asked how she planned on ‘playing the game’ to win. “I just want to get through without hurting myself. I’ve had a few injuries over the years and I am feeling really good. I don’t see it as a winning situation at all. It is a get through and come out feeling good about yourself thing.”

Denise Drysdale and rock legend Suzi Quatro on the set of Denise's show in 1988.

Drysdale has not asked for any special dispensation regarding the various challenges contestants face.

“I don’t think they want a dead 75-year-old in the jungle so I don’t think they will be doing anything with me that is going to hurt me.”

In Melbourne Tonight cast members Michael Pope, Denise Drysdale, Frankie J. Holden, Jane Hall and Chong Lim, 1996.

The mother-of-two has been a fixture on Australian television for decades as an actor and presenter. She is much loved thanks to her “roll up your sleeves and just do it” attitude and lack of ego.

Denise Drysdale.

Denise Drysdale in July 1996.

“There was no namby-pamby when I started,” she said. “I reckon I was at the top of the list if they wanted to tie somebody on the railway tracks, get her, she will do it. Always things like that. I’ve gone through windows, jumped out of planes, I’ve done everything so we will see what happens.”

Denise Drysdale dressed to enter I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!. Photo: Exclusively supplied.

Drysdale said she had been asked around five times previously to compete on the show but couldn’t commit to the lengthy film schedule in South Africa. This time round, she finally agreed.

“I’ve said no every time they asked,” she said.

“One of the reasons that I didn’t want to do it, and I’ve got a different mindset now, I didn’t want to go and do those challenges where they eat all that muck because I would feel so guilty going back into the camp with no food.

“I’ve got to step up to the mark and do those things so I am trying to steel my mind to think that everything I eat is chicken and everything in the hole is full of kittens.”

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