He’s the bad boy sports star who failed to qualify for this year’s Australian Open.
But on Sunday it was confirmed that Bernard Tomic has qualified for an equally competitive and rigorous challenge- the new season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The 25-year-old tennis player, currently ranked world number 143, claims his decision to star on the series is not motivated by money, saying he instead sees it as an attempt to rehabilitate his tarnished image.
From the court to the jungle: Bernard Tomic has been confirmed as a cast mate on the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Bernard stated: ‘People know me as this tennis player that is crazy and has done this or that, or has problems.’
‘Hopefully I get the chance to change their image about me on this show and that is one of the reasons I’m doing it’.
For his part on the program, the Gold Coast based star has already flown to the South African jungle ahead of Sunday night’s live premiere.
Back for another season! The show will once again be hosted by Chris Brown and Julia Morris
In his interview with The Telegraph, the tennis ace also made sure to state that he wasn’t interested in the pay packet he would receive from Channel Ten.
‘It is not for the money. I am doing this because it is something I always wanted to do in my life,’ he enthused.
His comments come just weeks after the The Herald Sun reported the former world No. 17 had allegedly been ‘bragging’ about being cast for a seven-figure sum.
Image re-vamp? Bernard told The Telegraph he wants his appearance on the series to show the real him
The report was quickly refuted by Channel Ten, who told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Recent press speculation regarding rumoured celebrity payments are grossly over-inflated and simply false.’
Bernard has been embroiled in a range of controversies over the past few years, including an arrest in 2015 for trespassing. The charge was later dropped.
He attracted widespread ire earlier this month for responding to questions about his failure to quality for this years Australian Open by claiming he ‘counts his millions’.
Anticipated: The much-hyped new series premieres on Channel Ten this week