Emily Atack says she’s ‘very proud’ of her lads’ mags past but I’m a Celeb gave her a new career

She shot to fame back in 2008 when she appeared as ‘Charlotte Big Jugs’ in the cheeky sitcom, The Inbetweeners.

And, in a new interview, Emily Atack, 31, said she’s ‘very proud’ of her lads’ mags past but admitted ‘things start drooping down a bit’ before I’m a Celebrity came along in 2018 and gave her a new career.

Appearing on a pre-recorded The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show, which is set to air this coming Thursday, the comedienne asserted: ‘I’ve got the FHM plaques on my wall!’ as she discussed how her stint in the jungle changed her life.

Proud! In a new interview, Emily Atack, 31, said she’s ‘very proud’ of her lads’ mags past but admitted ‘things start drooping down a bit’ before I’m a Celeb gave her a new career in 2018

Discussing her career, Emily – who is now a team captain on Celebrity Juice – said: ‘The wonderful thing about the jungle [I’m A Celebrity] was it gave me this whole new lease of life in my career.

‘For years I was known as ‘Charlotte Big Jugs from The Inbetweeners’. That was fine and that was fun. But I got to a point where things start drooping down a bit.

‘I needed a new medium to say the things I wanted to say. I thought by doing the jungle it would show a little bit more who I am as a person. It’s very easy to be categorised when you do lads’ mags and all that kind of stuff…

‘I thought for years people have been talking about my body, my sexuality, what I look like. My career became very much about what I looked like, so I thought, what better way – when the jungle came knocking – to show what I have as a person and what more I have to offer.’

Throwback: Appearing on a pre-recorded The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show, which is set to air this coming Thursday, the comedienne asserted: 'I've got the FHM plaques on my wall!'

Throwback: Appearing on a pre-recorded The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show, which is set to air this coming Thursday, the comedienne asserted: ‘I’ve got the FHM plaques on my wall!’

Personality matters: 'I needed a new medium to say the things I wanted to say. I thought by doing the jungle it would show a little bit more who I am as a person' explained Emily

Personality matters: ‘I needed a new medium to say the things I wanted to say. I thought by doing the jungle it would show a little bit more who I am as a person’ explained Emily

Insisting she’s not ashamed of her lads’ mags past, Emily explained that she simply ‘needed a new medium’ to express herself and looks to her time in I’m a Celeb when she needs a confidence boost. 

The actress said: ‘I’ve got the FHM plaques on my wall and I’m very proud of them. But I just got to a point where I needed a new medium to say the things I wanted to say.

‘I wasn’t the goddess in the shower in the bikini, I was the freckled faced idiot running around with no care in the world.’

Speaking about when she has moments of self doubt, Emily says: ‘I YouTube clips of myself in the jungle. I remind myself who I really am and how strong I can really be and who I really am as a person.

‘It’s the happiest I’ve ever been and the strongest I’ve ever been. I go back to that whenever I’m feeling some self doubt.’

Typecast: 'It's very easy to be categorised when you do lads' mags and all that kind of stuff… I thought for years people have been talking about my body, my sexuality, what I look like'

Typecast: ‘It’s very easy to be categorised when you do lads’ mags and all that kind of stuff… I thought for years people have been talking about my body, my sexuality, what I look like’

Carefree: 'I wasn't the goddess in the shower in the bikini, I was the freckled faced idiot running around with no care in the world' she said of her time on I'm A Celeb

Carefree: ‘I wasn’t the goddess in the shower in the bikini, I was the freckled faced idiot running around with no care in the world’ she said of her time on I’m A Celeb

Elsewhere, the stand-up comic revealed that appearing on the show was a childhood dream of hers, and would pretend to be a guest when roleplaying with her parents.

Emily enthused: ‘This is like the best moment of my life. When I was a child I used to say to my mum, “Can we play Jonathan Ross now?” I’d go up, put her heels on, put a cloak on, go downstairs and I’d come downstairs and my mum and dad would interview me as though I was on Jonathan Ross.

‘They were like, “Can’t you just play Monopoly like a normal child?” I was about 5 or 6. They’d say, “What have you been up to today?” I’d say, “I’ve been in the sandpits, just playing kiss chase with the boys.” I don’t think it’s going to be much different to be honest.’

Cute! Elsewhere, Emily revealed that appearing on The Jonathan Ross show was a childhood dream of hers, and would pretend to be a guest when roleplaying with her parents

Famous family: Discussing being related to Sir Paul McCartney, Emily said: 'I remember running around in my nappy in his house'

Famous family: Discussing being related to Sir Paul McCartney, Emily said: ‘I remember running around in my nappy in his house’

Discussing being related to Sir Paul McCartney, Emily explained: ‘He’s my grandma’s first cousin. To me he’s a third cousin or something like that. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t go around bragging that he’s my cousin.

‘He was very close to my grandma. He was present in my childhood. He’s a family man, he’s wonderful. I remember running around in my nappy in his house.’ 

Of her family’s Christmas traditions, the I’m A Celeb star said: ‘My uncle is a real thespian, Robert Dawes. He goes round the table. We all get a heart-warming speech, all of us.

‘We sound like the Von Trapp family, but pissed. We get these lovely speeches each. Then we all start crying and hugging.’ 

The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show airs on Thursday 24th December at 10pm on ITV 

Related: 'He's my grandma's first cousin. To me he's a third cousin or something like that. I'm pretty sure he doesn't go around bragging that he's my cousin' said Emily (Pictured with Emily's mum)

Related: ‘He’s my grandma’s first cousin. To me he’s a third cousin or something like that. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t go around bragging that he’s my cousin’ said Emily (Pictured with Emily’s mum)