February 19, 2025 • 5 mins
Australian Reality TV Show darling Reggie Bird joined Britt & Laura to chat about her time in the I'm A Celeb Jungle, what it was like doing the show with limited vision, and how she deals with the awful people commenting on her socials.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, you guys are very well aware that I was
a big fan of I'm a Celebrity this year. I
watched every episode, well, particularly I was on.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It last year. Were you not a fan last year?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
That's true, you didn't even watch it last year?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I did.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I was a fan last year. I was particularly a
fan this year because my husband, Matty Jay, was on
the show. But we did meet another celebrity again, Reggie Bird.
Now Reggie Bird, she was the winner of Big Brother.
She's won two separate seasons, and I honestly felt, and
I think most of Australia did, that she was just
such a standout in this season of I'm a Celeb.
(00:34):
And Reggie herself that she's vision impaired and she is
going blind, but she really rewrote what it means to
have a disability and to be able to show up
and still do everything that every other person was able
to do in that campsite, and it was so inspirational.
I loved every moment that she was on the screen,
and we have her on the show. Reggie, welcome to
the pickup.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Oh thank you for having me. Guys.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
How are you feeling now that you're at home and
you're back to normal life. Are you missing the jungle
or are you happy to be out of that hell hole?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Look, it is good to be back in your comfort
what is it creature comforts or whatever it's called. But
I am missing everyone, though, Reggie.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Do you think it was harder or easier than you anticipated?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Easier than what I've thought? Yes, because my past experience
of being on Big Brother and doing you know, I've
spent what three months in Big Brother and being in
there for a month was a breeze for me, Reggie.
But not doing those challenges though, Oh.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, you looked pretty upset when you had to eat
that kale.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Reggie.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm not gonna lie, but you spoke so beautifully about
well about so many things actually, but one thing in
particular is what you were going through with being vision impaired.
And I don't want to say it wrong, but is
it retinitis pigments?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Is that the retis pigmentosa pigmentosa? And can you describe
to us, like, what does that mean in terms of
what's happening with your vision? Because you can still see
a little bit, but you can't see as well as
what you were able to.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
No, so because I've just got nine degrees of pinhole vision,
and I explained to people, it's just like looking through
a straw.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Is that going to stay like that? Is that going
to deteriorate completely?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, So they said to me, you've got a fifteen
year time frame before you'll totally lose all your side.
So I'm just very thankful that of what I've got left.
That's why I just make the most of everything in life,
because one day I am going to wait up and
never ever see anything ever again.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You were such an inspiration on the show, and I think,
I mean, I can only imagine the questions you would
have had about going in there and doing that, Like
everybody has reservations about doing it, but going in and
doing that show without being able to see there must
have been an additional pressure or fear factor there for you. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Well, I was shit scared anyway going in, especially you know,
because petrified of everything, you know, especially the heights, siders,
bags snakes. I only have one really good night sleeping
there because every night I'd sit there just worrying about
a spider or some animal coming to get me because
(03:16):
I can't see in the dark at all, Like I've
got no night vision at all.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
You had a really beautiful conversation with Matt at one
point in the show, and he asked you what it
was if you're going to miss the most when you
when you lose your vision, and you said it was
seeing your kids. And I think every single parent.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I'm not even a parent, and I upsets me.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
It's just I mean, how do your kids, I mean
they understand what's happening. Obviously me is a little bit older,
but how do they respond to this?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, look for them as they've got older. That helped
me a lot, and I guess that's all they've ever
known with me. So yeah, I'm going to miss their
faces for sure when I lose my side. That's the
biggest thing.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
People really have no excuse to complain about that jungle
again if you have got in there. I mean like
when I was in there, the people complaining left, right
and center. Oh we didn't get any mengo tonight, we
didn't get avocado.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
The worst thing is Regietkoo for a whole week. I
got in there and she was like, I have I gone
to the toilet.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Over a week, but like you to go and navigate
that the way you have, Reggie, it's like you've just
won over so many hearts in Australia.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I know that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I hope you know that by now, but you really have.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Today it's the first day I've actually got on and
looked at my social media stuff, so oh man, there's
some horrible comments as well out there. I'm just like, wow,
especially about my eyesight, because you know, a lot of
people saying she's fake and ithright, she's in there for sympathy,
you know, it's just fall on and I just thinking, Wow,
(04:51):
there's so many people just are so quick to judge,
and if they spend to day in my shoes, they
would understand how I get.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
A Reggie, I'm so sorry that you have to put
up with that type of commentary because all it really
shows is that there is such a lack of understanding
around what constitutes blindness and people think it's black or white.
You can see all you can't see.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Nah, we're being too lean on them. There just trolls,
they're bullies. There's not the lack of education about what
happens with blindness. That's not it at all. All I
can say to you, Reggie, is someone that has been
in that reality world many many times. You will hold
on to the negative things that people write to you,
but try to ignore it and look at how much
support and love and all the beautiful comments you've got,
because the negative comments stand out. But I would hate
(05:34):
for you to go through this experience and you listen
to these keyboard warriors like please don't.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, we adore you, Reggie.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah yeah, my sisters, she can't stop reading.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
It's right, She's right, Reggie. We absolutely adore you. Congratulations
on everything and for coming so incredibly close to getting
the Crown of the Jungle. We're just so stoked you.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It was a blast.
Now, you guys are very well aware that I was
a big fan of I'm a Celebrity this year. I
watched every episode, well, particularly I was on.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It last year. Were you not a fan last year?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
That's true, you didn't even watch it last year?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I did.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I was a fan last year. I was particularly a
fan this year because my husband, Matty Jay, was on
the show. But we did meet another celebrity again, Reggie Bird.
Now Reggie Bird, she was the winner of Big Brother.
She's won two separate seasons, and I honestly felt, and
I think most of Australia did, that she was just
such a standout in this season of I'm a Celeb.
(00:34):
And Reggie herself that she's vision impaired and she is
going blind, but she really rewrote what it means to
have a disability and to be able to show up
and still do everything that every other person was able
to do in that campsite, and it was so inspirational.
I loved every moment that she was on the screen,
and we have her on the show. Reggie, welcome to
the pickup.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Oh thank you for having me. Guys.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
How are you feeling now that you're at home and
you're back to normal life. Are you missing the jungle
or are you happy to be out of that hell hole?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Look, it is good to be back in your comfort
what is it creature comforts or whatever it's called. But
I am missing everyone, though, Reggie.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Do you think it was harder or easier than you anticipated?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Easier than what I've thought? Yes, because my past experience
of being on Big Brother and doing you know, I've
spent what three months in Big Brother and being in
there for a month was a breeze for me, Reggie.
But not doing those challenges though, Oh.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, you looked pretty upset when you had to eat
that kale.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Reggie.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm not gonna lie, but you spoke so beautifully about
well about so many things actually, but one thing in
particular is what you were going through with being vision impaired.
And I don't want to say it wrong, but is
it retinitis pigments?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Is that the retis pigmentosa pigmentosa? And can you describe
to us, like, what does that mean in terms of
what's happening with your vision? Because you can still see
a little bit, but you can't see as well as
what you were able to.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
No, so because I've just got nine degrees of pinhole vision,
and I explained to people, it's just like looking through
a straw.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Is that going to stay like that? Is that going
to deteriorate completely?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, So they said to me, you've got a fifteen
year time frame before you'll totally lose all your side.
So I'm just very thankful that of what I've got left.
That's why I just make the most of everything in life,
because one day I am going to wait up and
never ever see anything ever again.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You were such an inspiration on the show, and I think,
I mean, I can only imagine the questions you would
have had about going in there and doing that, Like
everybody has reservations about doing it, but going in and
doing that show without being able to see there must
have been an additional pressure or fear factor there for you. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Well, I was shit scared anyway going in, especially you know,
because petrified of everything, you know, especially the heights, siders,
bags snakes. I only have one really good night sleeping
there because every night I'd sit there just worrying about
a spider or some animal coming to get me because
(03:16):
I can't see in the dark at all, Like I've
got no night vision at all.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
You had a really beautiful conversation with Matt at one
point in the show, and he asked you what it
was if you're going to miss the most when you
when you lose your vision, and you said it was
seeing your kids. And I think every single parent.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I'm not even a parent, and I upsets me.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
It's just I mean, how do your kids, I mean
they understand what's happening. Obviously me is a little bit older,
but how do they respond to this?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, look for them as they've got older. That helped
me a lot, and I guess that's all they've ever
known with me. So yeah, I'm going to miss their
faces for sure when I lose my side. That's the
biggest thing.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
People really have no excuse to complain about that jungle
again if you have got in there. I mean like
when I was in there, the people complaining left, right
and center. Oh we didn't get any mengo tonight, we
didn't get avocado.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
The worst thing is Regietkoo for a whole week. I
got in there and she was like, I have I gone
to the toilet.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Over a week, but like you to go and navigate
that the way you have, Reggie, it's like you've just
won over so many hearts in Australia.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I know that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I hope you know that by now, but you really have.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Today it's the first day I've actually got on and
looked at my social media stuff, so oh man, there's
some horrible comments as well out there. I'm just like, wow,
especially about my eyesight, because you know, a lot of
people saying she's fake and ithright, she's in there for sympathy,
you know, it's just fall on and I just thinking, Wow,
(04:51):
there's so many people just are so quick to judge,
and if they spend to day in my shoes, they
would understand how I get.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
A Reggie, I'm so sorry that you have to put
up with that type of commentary because all it really
shows is that there is such a lack of understanding
around what constitutes blindness and people think it's black or white.
You can see all you can't see.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Nah, we're being too lean on them. There just trolls,
they're bullies. There's not the lack of education about what
happens with blindness. That's not it at all. All I
can say to you, Reggie, is someone that has been
in that reality world many many times. You will hold
on to the negative things that people write to you,
but try to ignore it and look at how much
support and love and all the beautiful comments you've got,
because the negative comments stand out. But I would hate
(05:34):
for you to go through this experience and you listen
to these keyboard warriors like please don't.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, we adore you, Reggie.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah yeah, my sisters, she can't stop reading.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
It's right, She's right, Reggie. We absolutely adore you. Congratulations
on everything and for coming so incredibly close to getting
the Crown of the Jungle. We're just so stoked you.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It was a blast.
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