TULISA Contostavlos revealed she hyperventilated and sobbed after her I’m A Celeb exit.
The N-Dubz star, 36, snubbed an appearance on the show’s spin-off, Unpacked, and jetted home before the series wrap party.
She later took to Instagram to explain she was feeling overwhelmed after returning to reality, but questions lingered about her early departure.
In a new interview with The Guardian, she said: “I came out, still followed by cameras, all t*ts and teeth, and it wasn’t until I was on my own that I felt this introvert-overload.
“I was hyperventilating, crying. It was too much.”
Tulisa had largely kept out of the spotlight since her time as an X Factor judge in 2011, when she was just 23.
Though she recently took to stages for a wildly successful N-Dubz tour, she was hesitant to return to the public arena.
She said: “I had a lot of fear surrounding exposure and I got to the point where I thought, ‘Am I holding on to this fear because of what people have done to me in the past? Am I letting other people change my perception of what my career is and could be?’
“I didn’t want to feel that way any more.”
Tulisa, who was the third celeb to be evicted from the jungle, did say a virtual goodbye to her campmates during the Coming Out show.
Proving there were no hard feelings towards her co-stars, she made a surprise appearance via a pre-recorded message.
She said in the clip: “Hello everybody, I am so proud of you all, you all absolutely smashed it.
“Go and eat into oblivion!
“I am sorry I can’t be there, I love you lots and see you soon!”
The campmates cooed over her words before the camera cut back to Tulisa speaking in her hotel room.
She said: “The best thing about camp was the people and having a giggle got me through the hard moments.”
The singer previously addressed reports of an alleged fall-out with best pal Michelle McKenna, who was on hand to greet her when she left camp.
Michelle had been in control of Tulisa’s social media during her time on the show and an insider claimed she was unhappy with some of the content posted.
However, she spoke out in defence of her friend, insisting there was no issue between them, nor Michelle’s partner Dan.
She said: “Absolutely no issue with my sis’s posts, haven’t argued with my best mate in over 10 years.
“We literally don’t have arguments, they don’t exist in our world. Only love. Same with my bro.
“That’s what makes us so strong and my soul fam so special to me.
“Say what you want about me, but leave my Shelly and Dan alone please.”
