Frankie Dettori has revealed he had lens implants on his eyes before entering the I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! jungle.

The champion jockey, 52, made his debut on the ITV show in Thursday night’s episode, and in an interview before his arrival, shared that he decided to have the ‘simple procedure’ as he could no longer ‘read without glasses.’

Frankie told The Mirror: ‘I’ve had some lenses put inside. It was a simple procedure. Obviously, you know time heals things. The bright light really affected me. Especially in the mornings when my eyes were still tender.

‘But, it’s the best thing I’ve done actually. I can read without glasses and can see long it’s great. I’m glad I did it.’

During the procedure – also known as refractive lens exchange (RLE) – the lens, which sits just behind the front part of the eye, is removed and replaced with a man-made one.

Procedure: Frankie Dettori has revealed he had lens implants on his eyes before entering the I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! jungle

Changes: The champion jockey shared that he decided to have the ‘simple procedure’ as he could no longer ‘read without glasses’

The implants are increasingly being offered by private clinics to correct the vision of those who are short or long-sighted, or to correct problems too severe for laser treatment.

Frankie went onto reveal that his wife Catherine and their five children are already planning how they’ll spend the hefty appearance fee he’s been given for his jungle stint.

He said: ‘I’ll be honest here, it’s not about the money. I was doing it, you know because I’ve been asked so many times to do it. I thought if I let this opportunity go this time then perhaps when I’m retired and a nobody I might not get another chance.’

In Thursday’s episode, Frankie led his I’m A Celebrity team to victory as he battled it out with newcomer Tony Bellew in the Don’t Drop The Ball Bushtucker Trial.

The jockey legend and the former professional boxer became the latest stars to become campmates and were quickly put to the test when they had to grab pig testicles by their teeth and attempt an assault course in the grisly challenge.

The two newcomers became coaches of the two teams, with the rest of the 10 celebrities divided up for the series of challenges in the Scarena over the next few days.

Frankie had Sam Thompson, Danielle Harold, Nella Rose, Jamie-Lynn Spears and Fred Sirieix as his teammates.

In Tony’s team was Josie Gibson, Marvin Humes, Nigel Farage, Grace Dent and Nick Pickard.

Process: ‘But, it’s the best thing I’ve done actually. I can read without glasses and can see long it’s great. I’m glad I did it,’ Frankie said (pictured with his wife Catherine in 2000)

Race: Frankie led his I’m A Celebrity team to victory as he battled it out with newcomer Tony Bellew in the Don’t Drop The Ball Bushtucker Trial in Thursday’s episode

Bring it on: Hailing the jungle as his biggest challenge’, Frankie said he hoped to energise the camp with his positivity

Ant McPartlin explained: ‘This is Don’t Drop The Ball. Using only your mouths you have to move the balls from one end of the Scarena over the obstacles to the other end of the Scarena.

From Nigel Farage, Jamie Lynn Spears and Danielle Harold – it’s the show’s most outspoken line-up EVER 

‘The first coach to get five balls will be the coach of the Home team. And they’ll go to main camp and enjoy a lovely meal tonight. The loser will be the coach of the Away team.’

Dec told the pair: ‘You can only move one ball at a time… you may have noticed these are no ordinary balls, these are pigs’ testicles.’

Ant said of Frankie: ‘He’s used to races, Frankie.’ Frankie laughed: ‘Not pigs’ balls…’

Asked how they tasted as the race got under way, Tony said: ‘Salty’.

And as Frankie leapt ahead, easily jumping over the obstacles, Ant said: ‘It’s like he’s dismounting from a horse after winning’.

Ending victorious, Frankie became the Home team coach, while Tony became the Away team coach.

Hailing the jungle as his biggest challenge’, Frankie said he hoped to energise the camp with his positivity.

He said: ‘My strength as a person, I’m a fighter. I won’t lie to you, I can be quite moody sometimes when I lose so I don’t know what kind of Frankie is going to come out there.

‘I feel sorry for my campmates, I’ll be arriving full of energy, they’ll be starving hungry so I hope I give them a bit of energy when I turn up…

‘I’ve been racing for 36 years under thousands of people but this is my biggest challenge.’