Julia Morris on Life After I'm A Celebrity and Her New Role as Class Clowns Principal

Julia Morris has been a household name in Australian entertainment for over four decades, with a career spanning talent shows, comedy series, and reality TV. But after 12 years hosting I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, she's found herself at a crossroads.

Morris has taken on a new role as principal in the TV game show Class Clowns, where she corrals a group of comedian "students" – including Nina Oyama, Matt Okine, and Becky Lucas – as they compete to complete assignments in subjects like maths and sex ed.

A New Chapter

In a recent interview, Morris opened up about her decision to return to a school environment, albeit on television. "I went to St Joseph's Catholic College in East Gosford, NSW, and then Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, where I commuted to and from Gosford — it took an hour and a half on the train, where I busked with my flute," she said, recalling her school days.

"I left at like 6:00am and returned around 6:00pm, so it was a big day for a student, but it's not like I was doing the schoolwork, so…" [laughs] Morris's experience with undiagnosed ADHD has shaped her perspective on her school years. "It was a lifetime of being in trouble for something I had absolutely no control of," she said.

Life After I'm A Celebrity

Morris's role in Class Clowns marks a departure from her usual high-octane persona. "I think people forget comedians aren't just one-note," she said. "Maybe I wanted to show a capability. Even before the decision with the jungle [I'm A Celebrity …], I was just desperate for Class Clowns to go to air and be seen in an entirely different light … It was fun to show a pared-down version of my output."

When asked about her experience working with the comedian contestants, Morris praised Bron Lewis, citing her strong existing relationship with the school system. However, she noted that each pair's dynamics impacted their results.

Challenges and Changes

Morris also reflected on the challenges of being a woman in the public eye. "Days like today, I've had interviews since early so then I'm like, 'OK, what am I getting in trouble for today? What is someone gonna take offence to that's gonna have a direct effect on whether I'm earning or not?'" she said.

Despite her extensive experience and multiple Gold Logie nominations, Morris still faces self-doubt. "As you get older, and as you get more brutally honest, it's not that you're admired for your honesty — you just look difficult. And you then get more scared, because it becomes easier and easier to lose everything."

Morris noted that one thing that has changed for the better in the industry is that women are now allowed to take up more space. "When I started, it was men saying, 'Your t*ts look great in that top'. Now it's people talking to me on the level of a human being," she said.