Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox has been confirmed as one of the campmates to take part in I’m A Celebrity 2021, which returns to our screens in mid-November.
The ITV reality show sees 12 celebrities live in a campsite together for up to three weeks in a Welsh castle, where they will endure a range of scary and disgusting challenges to win food and treats.
Kadeena Cox’s Paralympic career
Kadeena Cox is a 30-year-old Paralympic sprinter and cyclist from Leeds. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014 and has won multiple medals and holds a number of world records.
One of her biggest success stories was winning three athletic medals at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, with gold in the T38 400m, silver in the 4x100m and bronze in the 100m.
At Rio 2016, Kadeena also achieved a gold medal in cycling with victory in the C4-5 time trial to become the first British Paralympian for 32 years to win medals in two different sports.
This was also where she became the first British black cyclist to win a medal at Olympic or Paralympic level.
This year at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Kadeena retained her C4-5 500m time trial title in cycling, setting a new world record and winning a gold medal. She also made it into the T38 400m final, but just missed out on a medal coming fourth.
Kadeena Cox wins Celebrity Masterchef 2021
This is not the first time Kadeena has appeared on a TV reality show. In September 2021, she was crowned the winner of Celebrity Masterchef.
She became the first-ever disabled celebrity to win the show. After making it to the final three alongside actor Jo Swash and reality star Megan McKenna, Kadeena wowed the judges with her final three-course meal.
Tweeting her reaction to winning the show, Kadeena said:
I can’t believe it! 😁 What an experience it was on @MasterChefUK 👩🏾🍳 so grateful to have had the opportunity to be on this series! Loved every second with the rest of the finalists and special shout-out to @GreggAWallace and @JohnTorode1 🤩 #CelebrityMasterChef pic.twitter.com/Jh78dkbVOY
— Kadeena Cox MBE (@kad_c) September 17, 2021
Kadeena Cox on I’m A Celebrity 2021
Kadeena Cox is the second Paralympic athlete to take part in I’m A Celebrity following javelin thrower Hollie Arnold in 2020. Sadly, Hollie was sent home after the first vote-off.
I’m A Celebrity usually takes place in the Australian jungle but due to coronavirus restrictions, it was relocated to Gwrych Castle in North Wales in 2020 and will host the new campmates this series too.
The celebrities will face a range of “bushtucker trials” and “castle coin challenges”, in which they’ll be covered in creepy crawlies and slime, eat some rather revolting and sickening foods, be trapped in claustrophobic tunnels, coffins and cages with rats, snakes and spiders and dress up in ridiculous costumes – all for our entertainment.
The nine celebrities set to join Kadeena Cox in the castle will be:
- Richard Madeley – TV presenter
- Frankie Bridge – Popstar
- Danny Miller – Emmerdale actor
- Matty Lee – Olympic diver
- David Ginola – Former footballer
- Naughty Boy (Shahid Khan) – Rapper
- Louise Minchin – BBC presenter
- Arlene Phillips – Strictly judge
- Snoochie Shy – Radio 1Xtra DJ
Introducing your Celebrities for 2021 🏰 ⭐️ #ImACeleb returns Sunday at 9pm on @itv, @wearestv and ITV Hub pic.twitter.com/47OSY8Lk0j
— I’m A Celebrity… (@imacelebrity) November 15, 2021
I’m A Celebrity returns to ITV on Sunday 21st November 2021 at 9pm.
By Emma Purcell
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