I’m A Celebrity’s Shane Richie admits he was ‘literally skint’ ahead of his stint on the ITV show

I’m A Celebrity’s Shane Richie has admitted he was ‘literally skint’ before getting the call for the ITV show.

The former EastEnders star, 56, admitted he was borrowing money from friends and family after the coronavirus pandemic halted his career and shattered his finances.

In an new interview given shortly before his stint in Gwrych castle, north Wales, Shane told how he was saving for a ‘rainy day, but ‘never expected the rainy day to last eight months’. 

He told The Mirror: ‘I was going on tour, doing a TV series and panto but it all got cancelled in March. Now I am literally skint!

‘You save for a rainy day but you don’t expect the rainy day to last eight months. Thankfully, I’ve been able to borrow money from mates, my family and the bank.’

The TV favourite, who starred on EastEnders from 2002 to 2005 and 2010 to 2016, went on to say that he was forced to sell his car for extra funds, but can easily travel by moped.

He continued: ‘I am alright, I have had a career and if it all finishes tomorrow, so be it. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll do stand-up or resurrect a musical.’

The stage star went on to hint that he’d had government assistance with his mortgage, suggesting he’s one of millions of people who’ve had their payments frozen until next year.

MailOnline have contacted representatives of Shane for comment. 

Discussing his finances in his autobiography, Rags To Richie, he said: ‘Despite all the money coming in, I didn’t put a single penny to one side.’

Shane, who has presented several gameshows including Reflex and Win Your Wish List, added: ‘I had no savings account and no pension. My philosophy was “Treat every day as if it is your last because one day you’ll be right!”‘

The TV personality was starring in musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie as retired drag queen Hugo Battersby/ Loco Chanelle, before the show was postponed due to Covid-19.  

Meanwhile, Shane’s son Shane Nolan was left unimpressed when Linda Robson admitted she is already finding his father ‘annoying’ on I’m A Celebrity.

Speaking on Monday’s episode of Loose Women, Linda, 62, told how she thinks Shane is ‘trying to be’ a comedian.   

She said: ‘I think there’s a couple of people that are gonna be a little bit annoying, like Shane Richie. I mean, he’s not a comedian but he’s just trying to be.

‘He’s just being a little bit annoying, he’s been voted for the first trial so a lot of people are seeing that.

‘It just takes you a little while to get used to the campmates.’

However, Shane Jr, 28, who is the son of Linda’s Loose Women co-host Coleen Nolan, quickly took to social media to respond to her remarks. 

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: ‘Has she [Linda] really just said he’s not a comedian? Wow she hasn’t got a clue haha’.

In another tweet, Shane admitted it’s ‘unreal’ to watch his father taking part on his favourite TV show.

He wrote: ‘Honestly it’s so weird watching a relative on telly most of the time anyway but watching my dad on one of my favourite shows is unreal. Terrifying as well. I like everyone in it so far’.