ITV I’m A Celebrity could be next for England and Arsenal forward Chloe Kelly as she told That Lionesses Podcast ahead of the semi-final against Italy that she wouldn’t mind trying out a couple of reality TV shows
England’s golden girl reckons she would ‘enjoy’ a spell in the jungle as eating grim grub does not worry her.
But Chloe Kelly – whose super sub appearance against Sweden turned the Euro 25 quarter-final in the Lionesses’ favour with two assists and cool-as-you-like penalty in the spot kick shootout – does not think she will do as well as Jill Scott. The 38-year-old was crowned Queen Of The Jungle after winning the TV reality show following her retirement from football in 2022.
Chloe, 27, told the That Lionesses Podcast she fancies testing herself out on the show which is filmed in Australia. She said: “I don’t think I would do well like Jill.
“I think Jill is like so bubbly and the challenges just didn’t phase her. But I think I’d enjoy it – probably more so.’’
She said she would also ‘love to do Dancing On Ice’ – though cannot skate. But I can learn,” she added.
Her England team mate Lauren James, 23, said she fancies trying all-action swimming pool-based telly game Total Wipeout.
But Chloe said she would not be joining her because she ‘can’t swim’. The Arsenal winger, who scored England’s winner in the Euro 22 final after coming off the bench, told the podcast she relished her super sub status for the Lionesses.
She said sensed she could make a difference in the match against Sweden because she knew opposing players were tired.
“When you come onto the pitch you just try and make something happen,” she said. “I was full of energy just wanting to try and get a goal or get an assist.
“When I came onto the pitch I saw there were some tired legs from the full‑backs of Sweden and playing to my strengths of crossing the ball so that’s what I tried to do.
”I think we never thought once about packing our bags before the game because we had confidence.
“But I think you don’t really think about it like that – like we could be going home tonight or tomorrow.
“At half-time all of us were saying, ‘we don’t want to go home so lets make something happen and get the result over the line and make sure that we’re together through everything’.
“And you could see coming out for the second half, like running out together and getting on the pitch and showing that energy, I think that was definitely a change of mindset when we stepped onto the pitch.”
She said her meticulous penalty routine was honed through hours of practice until it ‘doesn’t really feel like a high‑pressure moment’. “I think it’s just your process,” she said.
“Everyone has different processes whether you’re in training or in a game high pressure moment. It doesn’t really feel like a high‑pressure moment when you train it so often. I just stick to my routine and have belief in that and yeah I’m confident.
“I actually smiled a bit as I was stepping up because the goalie made me smile and I was just like ‘alright focus now’.
“She had been looking at her bottle for ages and she like smiled at me like, ‘I know where you’re going’. So I smiled back like, ‘no you don’t’.”
Chloe said the games came so fast in tournament football there was little time to relive achievements – but it had kicked in that she was about to play a semi-final.
“The games are just flying by and you’re obviously so focused on that,” she said.
“But then when you go back to your room you’re like, ‘we’re now into the semi-final of a major tournament’.
“I think it’s a pinch‑me moment and representing your country is obviously a huge honour and to do it in a major tournament surrounded by amazing players.
“We’re learning each day from each other and in the evenings chilling and spending a lot of time together. It feels like a really relaxed environment but one that you’re like, ‘wow, this is incredible’. And taking in each moment because it flies by.”
Ahead of the semi she admitted she had been focussing on chilling as it was important to ‘sleep as much as you can’ between matches.
“After a game like that I think everyone went to bed really late and was just not able to sleep because of adrenaline,” she said.
“Analysing the game straight after was important so yesterday we did that, then we can have a little rest and recover and then we go straight into the Italy prep.”
Lauren – who is known as LJ within the Lioness squad – said the knockout drama had taken an emotional toll.
“The emotional rollercoaster of it I think drains you,” she said.
“But then obviously you rest and you spend time with your loved ones and then you’re ready to go again.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
