Cyrell Paule, or Cyclone Cyrell as she’s affectionately known online after starring in Married at First Sight’s sixth season in 2019, showed a different side of herself on I’m a Celebrity Australia.
While the season was definitely not remiss of tension and confrontations (minus the wine this time), Cyrell spoke to WHO about how much she actually controlled herself during the show.
“I think for the people that knew [of] me, I was a bit, obviously, worried they’d be like, oh no, it’s Cyclone Cyrell, get ready for round one,” she said.
“Unfortunately, yes, there was a bit of drama,” Cyrell admits. “In some sense, what I’m proud of is, whether you want to believe it or not, I did really hold back.”
“I did walk off when I needed to walk off and cool down. And I think anyone who knows me from any other previous show, is a very different part of me, as I wouldn’t usually do that.”
Fans were hesitant about Cyrell on I’m a Celeb
Initially, some fans were sceptical when hearing of Cyrell’s addition to the camp, annoyed that while “reality TV largely thrives on drama, not every single reality show has to have it.”
Many fans claimed that if the season ran with it’s original live audience-voting format, Cyrell “would have been voted out the first round.”
Cyrell’s introduction into the show marked a turning point that many fans claimed shifted camp dynamics and removed the wholesome feel that fans love about the show.
“Now suddenly there’s drama, strategy, and sides being taken,” one fan said. “Wrong show. This has always been about family and unity.”
However, many fans also grew to love Cyrell’s presence on the show.
“She was fun to watch and she did improve,” one user commented.
Although Cyrell did appear to ‘tone it down’ on the show, she definitely did still cause some scenes, notably, with Deni Hines.
Speaking to WHO, Cyrell opened up about the fight.
“She’s such an introvert, and I think that wasn’t really working out and she probably left at the best time because she really was not coping. The good thing about Deni is that she knew when to go.”
After the fight broke out, fans confirmed online just how much Cyrell approached the moment differently to her other dramatic moments on MAFS.
“This was actually quite tame for Cyrell,” one fan commented.
When it came to her more recent disagreement with Luke Bateman, Cyrell explained how the camp conditions pushed some of their “ugly” to the surface, but ultimately the drama was short and sweet.
“Sometimes people forget the environment that we’re in. You’re starving and you’re with people that you haven’t seen before,” she said. “I was hungry, so can you imagine?”
“At the end of the day, it was one of those arguments that lasted for a good 10 minutes and after that we were good.”
While many fans were upset with the drama that additions like Cyrell and Rebekah Elmaloglou caused, for these two celebrities, the show sparked a brand new friendship.
“I feel like Rebekah and I have a lot of similarities,” she said. “Both being mothers, both having our boys waiting for us. Yeah she’s just so outspoken and she’s such a funny girl.”
Cyrell really opened up on I’m A Celeb
If there was one major takeaway from Cyrell’s time in the jungle, it was her vulnerability.
The star laid bare how exposed she felt going into the show, particularly with a history of being bullied for her appearance – something she still wears close to her heart today.
Speaking to WHO, she said she “glad to speak to other campers” and “be vulnerable” about how much of a big deal it was that she couldn’t wear make-up on the show.
“I had that conversation with Concetta about the scar on my face,” she mentioned. “That was a lot. I mean a lot for me to talk about. It wasn’t easy.”
In the end, her vulnerability didn’t just help her, but also resonated with fans watching at home.
“In the end, I was very, very happy to see how many people have reached out and that my story has touched them in any way,” she said.
It also meant a lot to Cyrell to be able to promote her chosen charity, Dolly’s Dream, on the show, an organisation committed to ending bullying culture in Australia.
“It obviously means a whole heck of a lot to me because their work is something that I wish was available when I was younger” Cyrell said. “It’s really amazing and I think people need to remember how much words hold onto people. Me, definitely, I held onto people calling me ‘scarface’ and I’m 36 years old.”
Cyrell put up a fight but was ultimately eliminated
While she may have toned it down when it came to disagreements on the show, Cyrell proved that she hasn’t lost her fighting spirit.
“I always thought of myself to be a fighter, but my god,” she said. “For me to be put in there and last that long, man I didn’t just come out as a fighter, I became a f***ing champion!”
From breaking the world record and facing 137 snakes in the Viper Room to lighting a fire all on her own in the Elephant Graveyard, Cyrell said she surprised herself with “never backing down, never giving up.”
“I lit my own fire in the elephant graveyard,” she exclaimed. “Like come on! For everybody else before that, they were doing it in groups, but I was there on my own and I did that s**t.”
“This girl’s on fire!”
Cyrell admits she was ready to go home
When it came to her elimination, Cyrell admitted she was ready to go home.
“Look, I’m not going to lie. That last elimination, I was ready to go home,” she said. “I think there was only so much I honestly could be put up for elimination without getting offended.”
While she was hurt to go home at first, she was happy to avoid the uncertainty of the next couple of days, particularly given the new format.
“I really didn’t think I would push through as far as I did,” she said. “So for some sense in my head, I was like, you know what I’ve made it this far, I’ve conquered so many things.”
Who does Cyrell want to win I’m a Celeb?
When it comes to the finalists, Cyrell had only one name in mind.
“I’d like for the Gazman [Gary Sweet] to win!” she said excitedly when asked who she is backing.
“Like I’ve been saying to everyone, I think the man’s iconic,” she exclaimed. “He’s a legend, let him leave the jungle being a legend again.”
“[He] should be the king of the jungle. He’s always the middleman and he really held us together when times were tough. I think he really deserves it.”
When is the I’m a Celeb finale?
The Grand Finale of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here airs Sunday, February 22 at 7pm on Network 10 and streams free on 10 play.
Voting is now open via 10.com.au/vote and will remain live throughout Sunday night’s broadcast. Lines close at 7:55pm AEDT, when the winner will be crowned live on air.
Viewers can vote up to 10 times per day!
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