Tulisa Contostavlos suffered an agonising 12-year health battle with Bell’s palsy that changed her appearance.
The N-Dubz star, 36, returned to screens on Sunday with the launch of I’m A Celebrity, showing off a new look.
Prior to her stint in the Jungle, she opted for a makeover, getting her lips and eyebrows tattooed and topping up her filler.
While there’s no makeup allowed in camp, Tulisa got around the need for it with her already-tattooed eyebrows and opting for long eyelash extensions.
Yet while Tulisa has been looking glamorous in the Jungle, she previously opened up about a health battle that left her in ‘horrific’ pain and fearing for her face.
The singer was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy in 2020 – a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face when the facial nerve is damaged or stops working properly.
Yet she soon became locked in a vicious cycle of having filler to even out her appearance and her face becoming inflamed and swollen.
How Tulisa’s face changed as a result of an agonising 12-year health battle – as star showed off her new lip filler and facial tattoos on I’m A Celeb’s launch show on Sunday
The N-Dubz star, 36, returned to screens on Sunday with the launch of I’m A Celebrity , showing off a new look (right, when she first found fame in 2008)
Speaking on Olivia Attwood’s podcast So Wrong It’s Right, Tulisa admitted the problems were particularly bad around the time she reformed with the trio in 2022, ending their 11-year hiatus from the music scene with a new tour and single release.
A doctor soon got to the cause after performing an ultrasound on her face, finding ‘three chronically infected cysts’ in her cheek, one of which popped during an ‘explorative operation’ due to being so bulbous.
Tulisa shared: ‘I’ve no idea what they were caused by, they weren’t filler, they were just self-occurring, but I came out of the operation and instantly my face was less swollen.
She added that after having her first Bell’s palsy attack aged 24, she attempted to use fillers to ‘balance out’ her face, causing her to be locked in a ‘vicious cycle.’
Two years passed where the condition was kept at bay, but she started to feel a ‘low level swelling’ in the same cheek, which rapidly increased.
She explained: ‘I would have like tingling sensations like little ants crawling in my face. I started seeing doctors all around the UK – “Something’s wrong with me, what’s wrong with my face” – it was so scary. This went all the way up until this year it was horrific.
‘I constantly felt like my cheek was on fire. I’d have good days and bad days and on some days, I’d take steroids, which would bring it down.
‘When I was doing that N-Dubz run it was at its worst, so you might see an interview, I look normal. And then you see another interview, it’s like, what the hell is going on with my face?’
The singer was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy in 2020 (pictured) a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face when the facial nerve is damaged
Tulisa added that after having her first Bell’s palsy attack aged 24, she attempted to use fillers to ‘balance out’ her face, causing her to be locked in a ‘vicious cycle’ (pictured in 2011)
The Young hitmaker raised eyebrows when she showed off an extremely plump pout back in 2014 – with Tulisa later revealing she suffered an allergic reaction to her lip filler
Tulisa also shared her belief that the painful cysts had contributed to a long list of medical concerns she has battled with for years such as sarcoidosis and immune disorders.
She shared: ‘I’ve had all these health problems for years – sarcoidosis, immune disorders and this explains all the symptoms that I was getting and could have been causing Bell’s palsy because in total there was, I think, six of them. They could have been growing over the years, actually triggering the Bell’s.’
After years of experimenting, Tulisa said she made the decision to remove the filler from her face and now only uses it in her lips.
She added: ‘Right now, I only have filler in my lips. There’s no filler anywhere else in my face.’
Tulisa has always been open about having lip filler and previously joked about her famous trout pout disaster.
The Young hitmaker raised eyebrows when she showed off an extremely plump pout back in 2014 – leading fans to comment on her rapidly changing face.
Reflecting on the incident, the star said on Lorraine: ‘I went through stages, I had an allergic reaction to something, and then it took me a while to get rid of it.
‘I still get fillers in my lips, so it’s all about maintaining. I’m happy with it now. That’s where you’re giving yourself a spruce.’
Elsewhere in the podcast, Tulisa revealed her plans to get ‘fat transfer’ in the future to help bring down the bruising in her face which makes her ‘paranoid’.
She explained: ‘I have noticed that where I have been having so many steroid injections into this cheek when it would blow up because of the inflammation.
‘As the swelling is going down, I am left with a lot of indentation in this cheek. I’ve covered it with makeup, it does make me really paranoid. I hate it, no one likes having dents in their cheek or discolouration or things wrong with their face.
‘But I will take a bit [of makeup] off so you can see it. It’s literally like a bruise, this is the indentation.
‘One of the more permanent things you can do is get a fat transfer, which I will do in the future, when I’ve got time but for now what I’m going to do is a treatment called profhilo.’
A surgical fat transfer is cosmetic surgery to move fat from one part of the body to another. It’s also known as a “fat graft” or “lipomodelling”.
Ahead of getting the fat transfer, Tulisa revealed she’s undergoing profhilo treatment to bring down the bruising.
Treatment with Profhilo improves skin tone, texture, hydration and overall radiance. It can help to increase firmness and elasticity and promote healthier and softer-looking skin.
The singer took to Instagram to point out the bruising on her right cheek, which she claimed appeared after years of taking steroid injections to control chronic cysts
Prior to entering the Jungle, Tulisa gave fans a look at her body transformation as she shared her grueling workout routine on Instagram.
Tulisa was seen throwing herself into intense weight training and boxing after undergoing a double hernia operation in July.
In an Instagram post she donned a waist trainer as she lifted weights on the leg press machine and performed lunges, leg extensions and chest presses.
Tulisa penned: ‘Really enjoying my boxing & fitness training at @ubxalderley. Double the the training right now. I feel like I’m getting a little better each day. This is officially not a faze! I’m sticking with it this time for sure.’
She has reportedly been practicing yoga 21 times a day while using the Tibetan Rites programme, an ancient form of yoga which requires multiple sessions to be completed each day.
The X Factor star has also completed a course of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) jabs which claim to boost your energy levels.
A source told The Sun: ‘Tulisa was determined to look and feel her best before going into the jungle.
‘She’s been doing Tibetan Rites at home and also sessions with a personal trainer in the gym including boxing.
‘Tulisa has also had her lip liner tattooed on as she knows she will be going makeup free for a good few weeks.’
Tulisa made sure she was in incredible shape ahead of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! as she shared her gruelling workout routine on Instagram
Tulisa was seen throwing herself into intense weight training and boxing after undergoing a double hernia operation in July
She rocked a waist trainer as she lifted weights on the leg press machine and performed lunges, leg extensions and chest presses
Tulisa slipped into a bikini as she headed swimming during one session
Tulisa pictured in 2019
As Tulisa was confirmed for the 2024 series of I’m A Celebrity she stood out from the star-studded group as she showed off her chiselled abs in a blue crop top for her first official snap.
Yet despite being in incredible shape, Tulisa has insisted she won’t be attempting to recreate Myleene Klass’ iconic jungle shower moment during her time in camp.
Myleene famously set pulses racing on the show in 2006 by showing off her svelte figure in a skimpy white two-piece in the shower.
But Tulisa declared she wanted the ‘polar opposite’, saying: ‘I am wearing black. I am going to pack three plain bikinis, as I don’t want to draw attention to myself.
‘I am not going to step out in white. It will be the polar opposite and if someone can hold up a towel then I will (ask them!).’
The former X Factor judge went on to admit that she reckons the first few days in camp will be the hardest for her, as she has been avoiding the spotlight out of ‘irrational fear’.
She confessed: ‘I’m a big softie and I’m an emotional person. I will probably struggle in the first few days as doing something like this is a big deal for me.
‘I haven’t been thrust this much into the spotlight in a while and I have avoided it out of irrational fear. I will probably be the most emotional when I first go in. It will take me a while to settle in, but I know I will get past that.’
But Tulisa explained that despite her fear, she has decided to enter the jungle in the hopes of changing public perceptions of her.
She said she hoped the show would allow people to finally find out more about the real her and finally felt ready to push herself beyond her ‘comfort zone’.
As Tulisa was confirmed for the 2024 series of I’m A Celebrity she stood out from the star-studded group as she showed off her chiselled abs in a blue crop top for her first official snap
Despite being in incredible shape, Tulisa has insisted she won’t be attempting to recreate Myleene Klass’ iconic jungle shower moment during her time in camp
Myleene famously set pulses racing on the show in 2006 by showing off her svelte figure in a skimpy white two-piece in the shower (pictured)
She explained: ‘I am not the person people perceive me to be and this will be the chance for everyone to get to know the real me.
‘I am like Frodo Baggins on an unexpected journey. I feel really adventurous this year and the place I am now in, I want to do things that take me out of my comfort zone.
‘I have always said I wouldn’t do this show in the past, as there are things that have terrified me. But the person I am now, I want to throw caution to the wind.’
Tulisa rose to fame in the mid-2000s with London hip-hop group, N-Dubz, achieving huge success with two platinum-certified albums and eight top 40 tracks, including hits No Regrets, Say It’s Over, Number 1 and Playing With Fire.
She eventually parted ways with them in 2011, going on to land the coveted role of X-Factor judge at the age of 22 and remains the youngest judge in the show’s history.
She was hired by Simon Cowell to replace Cheryl Cole and guided Little Mix to victory, who have gone on to become one of the most successful girl groups in history.
However, her X-Factor success was tainted by scandal as a sex tape featuring the star emerged online, leaked by her ex-boyfriend which she has since said made her feel like her ‘world was ending’.
After quitting the X-Factor in 2013, Tulisa was caught up in a drugs scandal when she was arrested on suspicion of supplying class-A drugs.
But it was, in fact, part of a sting operation by the News of the World’s notorious undercover reporter, Mazher Mahmood, otherwise known as the Fake Sheik.
The case went to court, but Mahmood was accused of tampering with evidence and the case against Tulisa collapsed, while he was later tried on related charges and sentenced to 15 months in prison.
During her BBC3 documentary filmed during her trial, Tulisa revealed she had been left with thoughts of taking her own life and ‘necked pain killers with vodka’.
A year later, she was convicted of assault and ordered to pay a £3,000 fine after attacking blogger and TOWIE star, Vas J Morgan, in a row at V-Festival in Essex in 2013.
And in 2016 she pled guilty to drink driving and handed a 15-month ban after crashing her £150,000 Ferrari in north London.
I’M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP
OTI MABUSE
Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt
AGE: 34
OCCUPATION: Professional dancer
FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020.
DANNY JONES
Danny Jones is one of the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s I’m A Celeb
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: McFly singer
FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly.
He is also a coach on The Voice UK.
BARRY MCGUIGAN
Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer
FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986.
GK BARRY
GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: TikTok star
FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel.
DEAN MCCULLOUGH
ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ
FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I’m A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views.
Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.
JANE MOORE
Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women
AGE: 62
OCCUPATION: Journalist
FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.
She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.
Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow.
MELVIN ODOOM
Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021
AGE: 44
OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter
FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.
He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.
COLEEN ROONEY
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: WAG
FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history, exceeding Nigel Farage’s £1.5million from last year.
ALAN HALSALL
Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I’m A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.
Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap.
TULISA
Tulisa is making her career comeback after reuniting with N-Dubz last year
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge
FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007.
In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss.
She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year.