N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos reflected on one of the most challenging periods of her life during tonight’s episode of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (November 20). Speaking candidly to fellow campmate Oti Mabuse, the singer recounted her 2013 arrest on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs, a case that ultimately collapsed due to tampered evidence.
A High-Stakes Setup
Tulisa detailed how she was approached under the guise of a movie audition offering a £3.5 million role. The setup involved lavish meetings in Las Vegas, complete with first-class flights and luxury accommodations. She explained that the role required her to embody a “bad girl from London” involved in questionable activities.
Over months of interactions, she claimed she was pressured by journalist Mazher Mahmood—also known as the “fake sheikh”—to procure drugs.
“They had me dangling on the end of a string,” she said, adding that she eventually provided a contact who supplied £800 worth of cocaine. However, Tulisa insisted the contact was not a drug dealer and was unrelated to her.
The Fallout
The ordeal led to Tulisa’s arrest and public humiliation, with the prospect of a four-year prison sentence hanging over her. “My life fell apart,” she said, revealing she lost all her endorsements and faced a trial that further damaged her reputation.
Tulisa recalled that a recorded conversation where she expressed her strong anti-drug stance was omitted from the case by Mahmood, who later pressured a witness to alter their statement.
The trial collapsed in 2014 after it was revealed that Mahmood had tampered with evidence. In 2016, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his actions.
Life After the Trial
Reflecting on the experience, the 36-year-old said:
“It was one of the darkest times of my life, but I’m proud of how I came through it.”
Tulisa’s segment on I’m A Celebrity has reignited public sympathy for the star, who has since rebuilt her career with a successful reunion tour with N-Dubz.
Jungle Updates
Elsewhere in tonight’s episode, TikTok star GK Barry and Radio 1’s Dean McCullough faced the Drown In The Dumps Bushtucker Trial but failed to secure any stars, leaving their campmates without food.
The latest season of I’m A Celebrity features a star-studded lineup, including McFly’s Danny Jones, Coleen Rooney, Melvin Odoom, and boxing legend Barry McGuigan.
Viewers can catch I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! nightly at 9 PM on ITV1 and ITVX
