'I'm scared of everything.' Reggie Bird knows she's in too deep on I'm A Celebrity.

Reggie Sorensen isn't a woman who will be held back by the hand that's been dealt to her.

After first winning Big Brother in 2003, she found out she had retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease. Then in 2022, Sorensen admitted she had since been diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision. That same year, she won Big Brother… yep, for the second time.

Reggie is beloved by audiences for her unique view on life and say-it-like-it-is approach, endearing herself to countless Australian viewers.

This makes her the perfect pick for I'm A Celebrity…. Get Me Out Of Here, and lucky for us, we can reveal she's the first celebrity to be announced for the 2025 cast of campers.

Make no mistake, this will be Reggie's camp, the rest are just living in it!

"It doesn't feel real that it's happening," she told Mamamia in an exclusive chat before she flew to South Africa.

"I think tonight when I'm on that plane it's gonna really kick in. I'm still feeling nervous though. I've been nervous since they asked me."

Watch the trailer for the 2025 season. Post continues after video.

Given Reggie's restricted eyesight, she is oddly relaxed and calm about what awaits her.

"I've got no idea what they're gonna do. I'm just gonna give it my all, like everyone else does. I've got no peripheral vision or night vision, so it might be a bit of an advantage for me. I will not been able to see sh*t," she joked.

"I think they're gonna allow me to have a torch to go to the toilet with at night because apparently the toilet is up a trek somewhere, and it's a bit of a mission to get to, so I'm allowed to have a torch for that."

Night vision or not, Reggie instantly said 'yes' because she's a longtime fan of I'm A Celebrity.

"I'm a massive fan of the show. I've always wanted to go on the show, even though I'm sh*t-scared of everything. I'm petrified of spiders, snakes, bugs, the lot, and I've got a weak stomach," she said.

"I don't know how I'm gonna go, but it's gonna be fun viewing, that's for sure."

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As far as food goes, Reggie has adapted her diet to prepare for the jungle's rations of rice and beans. "I've been trying to wean myself off everything nice. I haven't had coffee for about two weeks." Brave!

Despite competing on Big Brother twice, she's much more nervous about the jungle.

"This is next level. It is just the unknown and watching the series over the last 10 years, I know that it's gonna be horrible stuff. But it's also like a challenge as well for me: I want to face my fears and hopefully, I'll kick some goals."

When asked if she was worried that she could clash with other personalities in the jungle, she said she was prepared. "It happened in Big Brother, especially in the last one that I did, there was a lot of dickh*ads in that one," she replied.

"I'm good with people and I just learn how to switch off from idiots, so I just sit back and let them do their thing. There's bound to be someone in there that's gonna get on my goat but I've gotta push through that."

Reggie sees herself as someone who people will recruit to defuse any drama.

"I don't like conflict, so if there is any kind of conflict, I'll be the mediator. I'll be the one that tries to fix things," she said.

"I don't know if they've got a cook going in this year. I haven't seen any clues on all the ads… I love cooking even though I stuff up all the time, but I do enjoy it. I'm happy to put my hand up for that."

Those years of owning a fish and chip shop in Tasmania will not go to waste!

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Reggie is going to miss her kids, Lucas and Mia, and her hot water bottle the most. "I had to obviously tell them I'm going away, and to keep it a secret. I said, 'The minute you're allowed to talk about it, make sure you rally all your friends to vote for me.'"

Before heading into the jungle, her partner, Phil, who she's been with for seven years, gave her some words of encouragement.

"He goes, 'I know you, Reg, you can do this', he's very encouraging. He goes, 'Get in there and kick ass. Prove to Australia that you can do this even with your bad eyesight," she recalled.

The reality star, who has twice been crowned winner of Big Brother (a show based on popularity votes), admits she could be taking home the jungle crown.

"I reckon I've got a good chance!" she beamed. "Winning three times. What is that? The trifecta!"

I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! premieres Sunday, January 19 at 7pm on 10 and 10 Play.

Feature image: Channel 10.