Ruby Wax, one of this year’s standout contestants on I’m a Celebrity, has long been known for her sharp wit, bold interviews, and occasionally fiery personality. But before entering the jungle, she also carried with her a history of tension and unresolved feelings involving another major figure in the world of documentary filmmaking. The 66-year-old star once claimed that a well-known TV presenter “stole her career,” sparking a feud that lingered for years before the two finally addressed it face-to-face.
Ruby, who rose to fame decades ago, is now capturing viewer interest again as she takes on the difficulties of jungle life. Her presence in the camp has sparked excitement from fans who are eager to hear the showbiz stories, behind-the-scenes experiences, and celebrity secrets she has accumulated throughout her long career. Many remember her not just as a comedian and actress, but also as a fearless interviewer who once sat down with some of the most controversial and unpredictable figures in modern culture.
Her career initially took off in the mid-1980s when she played Shelley DuPont in the British comedy Girls On Top. The show brought her widespread attention and positioned her as a rising star in British entertainment. But after her success in comedy, Ruby shifted her focus to documentaries, carving out a distinctive and often provocative style that set her apart. Her series Ruby’s American Pie placed her directly in front of controversial figures, fringe groups, and high-profile personalities. Among them was a young Donald Trump, whom she met long before he became a dominant political figure. Ruby’s interviews during that period became known for their bold tone and her ability to push boundaries while maintaining a disarming humour.
However, despite her early prominence in this genre, Ruby once suggested that her momentum was disrupted when documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux rose to fame. She believed that Louis, whose investigative style became widely popular, had benefitted from concepts and formats that were similar to those she had previously explored. At one point, she bluntly accused him of “stealing everything,” a remark that became a defining part of their perceived rivalry.
During a podcast conversation with Adam Buxton, Ruby was asked directly about the comparisons that were often made between her work and Louis’s. Her reaction was immediate and intense, revealing how much the subject still affected her. She claimed she knew the question was coming and stated firmly that she would rather not discuss it. She expressed that, from her perspective, everything she had done was later echoed in Louis’s projects. While she emphasised that she had since moved on and built a different career, she admitted that hearing his name still triggered a strong emotional response. She explained that if the topic was pushed further, she would feel physically ill, illustrating how deeply the issue had remained with her.
She once accused fellow documentary maker Louis of “stealing her career”
Despite her success and evolution into new fields, Ruby acknowledged she still carried “a little bit of anger.” The lingering frustration was evidently not fully resolved until years later, when she and Louis finally confronted the subject together on his own podcast, Grounded with Louis Theroux. During their conversation, Ruby candidly admitted that she had avoided watching Louis’s documentaries until the very morning of their interview. She clarified that her resentment was not truly aimed at Louis as a person. Instead, she explained that he represented a mixture of complicated emotions related to jealousy, insecurity, disappointment, and the pressure she had felt from her father. Louis, in her mind, symbolised everything she feared she had failed to achieve, even though she acknowledged that the emotional reaction was rooted in her own history, not in anything he had done directly.
She told Louis she had finally taken the time to view his work and recognised that he had excelled in the field. She even stated that what he was doing was “great,” and she recognised that it aligned with the direction she believed she should have taken. Ruby described how she emerged from Girls On Top as a persona rather than an investigative journalist, and that her comedy-driven identity influenced the direction of her documentaries. She admitted that Louis had succeeded in exactly the sort of programming she had hoped to master.
Though their exchange was friendly and honest, Ruby still made it clear that she disliked being compared to him. She explained to Louis that his name would come up constantly in conversations with strangers, particularly taxi drivers who would ask whether she “used to do what Louis Theroux does” or what had happened to her career. These comments, repeated often enough over the years, reignited the insecurity she had fought to overcome.
Beyond her feelings about Louis, Ruby’s documentary work remains notable for the high-profile subjects she managed to secure interviews with throughout her career. In addition to Donald Trump, she conducted memorable interviews with global superstars including Madonna, Pamela Anderson, and Jim Carrey. Her conversations with these celebrities became part of her signature style, blending humour with unexpectedly probing questions. One of her most famous interviews occurred in 1998 when she spoke with O.J. Simpson, four years after his acquittal in the murder case involving Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. The interview stood out as one of the boldest of her career, coming at a time when O.J. was still at the centre of international controversy.
With this history of high-stakes interviews and intimate celebrity encounters, viewers tuning into I’m a Celebrity are hoping Ruby might share untold stories and surprising revelations about the people she has met. The jungle environment often encourages candid confessions, and Ruby’s decades in the entertainment industry make her a particularly intriguing participant. Fans are eager to see whether she will reveal unseen sides of the celebrities she has worked with or speak openly about the challenges and struggles that shaped her professional life.
Ruby’s willingness to confront her past publicly, including her feud with Louis Theroux, demonstrates the emotional complexity she brings to the show. While the rivalry between the two was largely shaped by Ruby’s internal struggles, their conversation years later allowed them to clear the air and acknowledge each other’s talents. Even so, Ruby openly admitted that comparisons to Louis remained uncomfortable for her, not because of who he is but because of what the comparisons represented in her own personal narrative.
As she continues her experience in the jungle, Ruby appears to be fully embracing the challenges and unpredictability of I’m a Celebrity. The show offers her a new stage—one that differs from her documentaries yet still allows her to showcase her humour, resilience, and ability to reflect honestly on her life. Her past may be filled with intense interviews, complicated emotions, and high-profile interactions, but the jungle gives her an opportunity to add an entirely new chapter to her already complex and colourful career.
