Wait, how am I only just learning that Tulisa is a nepo baby with rockstar parents?!

Just like me, many I’m A Celeb viewers shared their shock at realising that Tulisa’s parents had their own music careers, with her dad releasing an iconic 70s track that is still a radio staple in 2024.

Tulisa returned to UK screens last week as part of this year’s I’m A Celeb crop and she’s already addressed stories from her past like her relationship history, her battle with Bell’s palsy, and most recently, her identity as a demisexual. Though she has kept relatively tight-lipped about her parentage, that all changed in Tuesday night’s episode.

Who are Tulisa’s mum and dad?

When Tulisa spoke about her parents last night, many I’m A Celeb viewers flocked to Twitter to share their shock at her rockstar parentage.

“I did not know that Tulisa Contostavlos’ dad was the keyboard player in Mungo Jerry,” one person said, as another replied, “I did not! Turns out there are many N Dubz fun facts I didn’t know.”

For those of you unaware, Tulisa’s dad, Plato Contostavlos, was one part of Mungo Jerry, a British rock band formed by Ray Dorset in Ashford, Middlesex, in 1970. Though the band has had many iterations since its inception, Plato played keys in its early days alongside his brother, and Dappy’s father, Bryan Contostavlos.

Did you know that Tulisa and Dappy's uncle was in Mungo Jerry of 'In The Summertime' fame?

— Tony (@TonyTimes2) November 19, 2024

They had several notable tracks over the years, but none were as popular as the 1970 hit track In The Summertime which ranked at number one on the UK singles chart. It sold over 2 million copies in the UK and US alone, with the 2005 re-release also pulling in 400k purchases.

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Meanwhile, Tulisa’s Irish mother, Anne Byrne, was a part of the 1980s big band and swing band, Jeep, alongside her two sisters. They often did covers of wartime hits by the Andrews Sisters like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, which is quite different to the music Tulisa makes today, and appeared in several talent contests.

Her mum battled mental health issues for most of her life

Tulisa has always been an outspoken advocate for mental health, which some have attributed to being her mother’s primary caregiver from the age of 12.

In her 2012 autobiography Honest, Tulisa recalled how her mother would be obsessed with locking the door, so much so that it sparked a confrontation when Tulisa jangled the keys one night.

“I guess she thought I was trying to open the door and panicked, but went completely off the deep end, accusing me of wanting to make her ill, or even kill her, and it went on and on,” she wrote. “Incidents like this were a regular occurrence in our house, along with temper tantrums and mood swings.”

Anne was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in 2007, a condition that combines symptoms from both schizophrenia and a mood disorder like bipolar disorder or depression. Of course, it was especially hard for a young Tulisa.

“My dad left home and it triggered one of her episodes. One minute she’d look all mournful as if someone had died, the next she’d be angry and aggressive, smashing cupboards and shouting,” she said in her 2010 documentary, Tulisa: My Mum and Me. “Inevitably, she went into hospital again and I stayed with my mum’s older sister, Louise.”

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Featured image credit: YouTube/I’m A Celeb & YouTube/Mungo Jerry