Tulisa Contostavlos has opened up about her sexuality during her time on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, revealing to her campmates that she identifies as demisexual and has chosen to abstain from sex for more than three years.
The 36-year-old N-Dubz singer and former X Factor judge explained that she can only feel sexual attraction when she has formed a deep emotional connection with someone.
“For me, it’s all about the connection and the emotions that I feel with someone and then wanting to express them in that way,” she said during an episode, per BBC News. Describing herself as “not an overly sexualised person,” she added, “I need actual depth… I’m a slow, slow burner.”
Her comments prompted discussion among viewers about what the term “demisexual” means. It is used to describe people who only experience sexual attraction after building a close emotional bond, often based on personality rather than an immediate physical response. Those who are demisexual may not feel drawn to others through factors such as appearance, scent, or voice alone.
Tulisa also revealed that despite having a profile on the exclusive dating app Raya, the thought of dating “genuinely makes me feel physically sick.”
The London-born star rose to fame in the 2000s as part of N-Dubz before embarking on a solo career with hits such as Young and Sight of You. She has now swapped the music stage for the Australian jungle, joining fellow contestants including Coleen Rooney, content creator GK Barry, McFly’s Danny Jones, and Radio 1 DJs Melvin Odoom and Dean McCullough.
Since her arrival into the jungle, broadcaster Rylan Clark, who first met Tulisa when she was a judge on The X Factor, urged viewers not to focus on her appearance. Tulisa has previously spoken openly about having cosmetic treatments after being diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis that temporarily impairs muscle control, Cosmopolitan detailed. In a conversation with podcaster and former Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood, she explained that the condition caused one side of her face to drop, prompting her to seek surgery and fillers to restore symmetry.
As the new series unfolds, Tulisa’s candid discussion about her identity and personal boundaries has resonated with viewers, sparking wider conversations about different forms of attraction and the importance of emotional connection in relationships.