‘ I’m not a size 8, but who says size 8 is perfect anyway?’

Her bikini body drew a lot of attention in I’m A Celeb! and Ferne Mccann tells Closer she’s proud to be a poster girl for real women

hen she entered the I’m A Celeb! jungle in November, Ferne Mccann’s body became the subject of hurtful weight critics. But despite the criticism Ferne, who is a size 10-12, is proud to show off her “realistic” figure and is adamant she’ll never diet or work out to the extreme to achieve a supermodel shape.

She says: “I’ve got a very realistic body. Instagram is sometimes just a sea of very thin girls, but I quite like being a poster girl for normal women. I’m not a perfect size 8, but who says a size 8 is the perfect size anyway?”

The 5ft 8 TOWIE star, 25, admits that her relaxed attitude to her body does mean her weight fluctuates depending on her current diet and fitness regime, and she has swung between a size 8 and a 12 since first appearing on TV in 2013.

WFALLING OFF THE WAGON

Ferne, who gained weight last year after injuring her ankle playing netball, says: “My weight fluctuates a lot, but I think that’s normal. I fall off the wagon and have weeks when I just eat what I want, but then I’ll hit the gym hard.”

But Ferne, who confirms to Closer that she is heading to Hollywood to discuss work projects, admits that she’s too busy at the moment to exercise.

“I didn’t make it to the gym once last week,” she says. “You have to make time in your schedule to go to the gym – and it can be hard to be motivated. There is always so much temptation with food too!”

BODY CONFIDENCE

Ferne admits that, like most of us, she has cellulite – but she doesn’t let it worry her.

She says: “There’s always something you wish you could change – I often wish my bum was more toned, but my girlfrie n ds tell me my bum is my best feature! I’ve always had a big bum and small boobs, but my waist is quite small and toned, which is good because it balances o ut my figur e well. I like wearing cut-out dresses to show it off.”

But for Ferne, body confidence isn’t about dress size or gym sessions.

She says: “Everyone comes in diffe rent shapes and sizes and we all ne ed to embr ace and work with what w e’ve got. There ar e bits of my bo dy that I don’t like, but I try to just focus on the bits that I do like.”

When she has time, Ferne either works out with a personal trainer at the gym or does boxing and cardio training. But the Essex girl – who has admitted in the past to suffering from anxiety and panic attacks – insists she works out for the wellbeing benefits rather than to achieve the perfect figure.

She says: “I don’t exercise for the way I look, that’s just a bonus. I do it for my

mind. I can get really down sometimes, but exercise helps me release those happy endorphins. Also, when you’ve had a few nights out and you’re feeling crap, it helps.”

While her figure attracted a lot of attention during her stint on I’m A Celeb! , Ferne also struck up a close friendship with camp mate and Union J star George Shelley. Naturally, when George came out as bisexual last week, Ferne was the first to show her support.

She wrote on Instagram: “Feeling very proud of my lil jungle fwend today. ‘Happiness is letting go of what you think life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is.’ I love you bubs.”

And Ferne, who split from her boyfriend of five years Charlie Sims last year, admits that, like the gym, she struggles to find time for men.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

She reveals: “I love being a single girl and I’ve been on some dates but I’m so busy right now I can hardly see my friends, let alone make time for a boyfriend. If I was going to meet a guy now, he’d have to be very patient. I want a man who is going to fit around my schedule. It’s time to be selfish!”

Despite her best friend Sam Faiers, 25, having just given birth to her first baby, Paul, Ferne insists she’s not broody just yet.

She says: “I used to have a life plan, but I keep pushing everything back. I think 28 is a good age to have kids, and I’m 25 now. I’m concentrating on my career at the moment and I’m just going to enjoy baby Paul rather than think about having my own!”

Ôthereõs always something you wish you could changeõ