'Pinch me moment' for Longford TV star Maura Higgins as she enters ...

As a late entry to camp, Love Island star Maura Higgins is hoping to bring plenty of energy – but falling in love under the jungle stars is not on the agenda as she admits going on I’m A Celebrity will be the hardest thing she has ever done.

Smiling, Maura also admits she is looking forward to ditching her fake tan and make-up as she describes being asked to take part on the hit ITV series as a ‘pinch me moment’.

“This is the only TV show I have ever wanted to do and it’s a real pinch me moment,” says the reality TV star.

“I am ready to step outside my comfort zone. I hope I do make myself proud and I am both excited but also very nervous, because I am scared of absolutely everything.

“But I have watched this show for years and it will be nice to get to know Ant & Dec, who I have met on the red carpet before.”

Explaining why she is looking forward to ditching her fake tan and make-up, Maura adds: “It will be nice to strip back. I love my fake tan but I am excited to be without it. My skin is going to be flawless. It really is a detox and I am excited to have a phone detox too.”

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How is she going to get her fellow campmates on side when she walks in as a late entry? “It is quite scary going in later,” she replies. “They have all met and got to know each other.  It’s never easy being the newbie, but I am not a shy person, so I feel like I will be fine. It will be nice to bring some energy to the camp.”

Asked if she is single and whether she is ready to find love under the stars, Maura roars with laughter as she declares: “I am single at the moment, but honestly no-one is going to fancy me in the jungle. Trust me!”

She says she is most excited about meeting her new campmates and forging new friendships with ‘incredible people’ she’d never normally meet. “My family are very, very excited,” she says. “They have told me to come back with a crown. How would I feel to win? It would be absolutely incredible and who doesn’t want to be the Queen of the Jungle?! But I’m definitely not going to go in with that expectation with my fears. My fears might get in the way!”

Going on to reflect on her many phobias that cover ‘everything’, Maura says she is dreading being asked to do an eating Trial. “I am absolutely petrified of the eating challenge and the one with the glass around your head with spiders in,” she confides. “Even talking about them, I start to sweat. I am not a nervous person, but this will be hard.”

As well as her sleep mask, Maura will miss watching the Titanic movie to get herself to sleep. “How am I going to sleep in there?” she says, shuddering. “Sleeping outside, oh god, it’s going to be hard. I have never slept outside before. I am an indoor girl.”

Has she done any preparation in the run-up to I’m A Celebrity? Shaking her head, she replies: “No, I have probably been doing the worst thing by loading up on all my favourite foods, drinking as much red wine as I can and eating as much pasta. I probably should have weaned myself off things, but that’s not how my brain works!"

She says she is happy to help out with the cooking and chores around camp. She is also looking forward to exchanging stories about everyone’s lives and she hopes to make some special friends during her jungle stay. “I can be an emotional person,” admits Maura. “This might shock a lot of people. But if I am comfortable with someone, that’s when my vulnerabilities come out…

“You are lacking in caffeine, sugar and it’s completely out of your comfort zone. You will probably get emotional at times and so it will be nice to have someone in camp to offload to.”

And whilst she insists her fears could be a big issue, Maura says she is determined to enjoy every single moment of her time in camp. “I am going to be brave,” she promises. “I want to go in and see how I get on. It was the same with Love Island and I am looking forward to it all.”

As for whether she thinks her stint in the jungle could lead to other TV projects, Maura says she never tries to overthink what could happen in the future. “I don’t like to overthink about what it’s going to be like after,” she adds. “I just want to think about what I’m doing now."

Maura's dream camper would be Rihanna. "I have an obsession with her! She can sing us a few songs in camp."

What is the biggest misconception about Maura that she want to dispel in the jungle? "The only reality show I have done is Love Island, which is based around finding love and talking about relationships. This is my chance to show my vulnerable side and talk about work, rather than boys."

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Play