Paul Burrell opens up on his friendship with ‘his Princess’ Helen Flanagan

Paul Burrell is candid about his unlikely friendship with Helen Flanagan, whom he calls his “princess.”

The two formed a close bond when they joined a slew of other celebrities for South Africa’s spin-off show I’m A Celebrity.

And while the former royal butler, 64, was known as a close confidante of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, it seems Paul has welcomed a new “princess” into his life.

Speaking of his admiration for the ex-Coronation Street actress, 32, Paul shared The mirror: “Helen was my princess, Helen is princess Jasmine to me, even in my phone she is now princess Jasmine because she is so beautiful and sweet. And you wouldn’t think she had three kids.

Every day she wore a bikini in a different color with lots of jewels attached to it. And I said to her, “You know, you look like Princess Jasmine from Aladdin.”

Friendship: The two formed a close bond when they joined a slew of other celebrities for the South Africa spin-off show I’m A Celebrity (Helen Flanagan pictured)

Paul also nurtured his bond with Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder, with whom he took to the jungle with Janice Dickenson.

He gushed about how Shaun was “so funny and “so sweet,” with the singer noting that the pair live on “a different planet” from each other because they were so different.

He said of Shaun, “Shaun never told me if he was a fan of the Royal Family. He listened to all my stories like wow. And he said we’d keep in touch and we’ve exchanged messages ever since, but you’re right, the most unlikely pair of people. Me and Shaun Ryder, completely different spectrums.’

Meanwhile, Paul called hosts Ant and Dec “spawns of the devil” for laughing at his failures on the show, which was filmed in September but will air on screens next week.

During his 2004 original I’m A Celebrity, Paul left viewers in awe thanks to his screeching and hilarious facial expressions as he faced his fears in a number of bush tucker trials.

And the former lackey noted that things aren’t much different this time around, joking: “I’m still rubbish at trials,” before berating the hosts for “grinning” at his “misfortune.”

Elsewhere in the chat, Paul shared how he hit the gym before heading into the jungle and embarking on a grueling fitness routine with his personal trainer.

He talked about how the trainer did “amazing work” which viewers will see on the show, with Paul noting that his fitter body even gave him the confidence to stand shirtless next to former boxer Amir Khan in the jungle.

Close: Although the former royal butler, 64, was known as a close confidante of the late Diana, Princess of Walesv (pictured in 1997), it seems Paul has welcomed a new ‘princess’ into his life

Positive: “Helen was my princess, Helen is princess Jasmine to me, even in my phone she is now princess Jasmine because she is so beautiful and sweet. And you wouldn’t think she had three kids’

Princess vibes: ‘Every day she wore a different color bikini with lots of jewels attached to it. And I said to her, “You know, you look like Princess Jasmine from Aladdin”‘

It comes after Paul discussed his battle with cancer and how he was supported by the late Royals during a performance at Lorraine on Friday.

It was revealed earlier this year that his appearance on I’m A Celebrity South Africa, which begins Monday, led to his diagnosis thanks to pre-show health tests that revealed he had prostate cancer.

Paul, who worked alongside Diana, Princess of Wales for a decade and was a confidante until her death in 1997, was diagnosed with the disease last summer.

Much admiration: He gushed how Shaun Ryder was “so funny and “so sweet,” with the singer noting that the pair live on “a different planet” to each other because they were so different

Oh dear! Meanwhile, Paul called hosts Ant and Dec “spawns of the devil” for laughing at his failures on the show, which was filmed in September but will air on screens next week

An honour: It comes after Paul discussed his battle with cancer and how he was supported by the late Royals during a performance at Lorraine on Friday

During his performance in Lorraine, he said: ‘I was in the jungle with cancer, the queen had died. But I had two angels on my shoulder, the Queen and Princess Diana. I’m going to live my life and be thankful for everything’

Speaking of the Queen, who died while they were filming, the former assistant said: “She became my surrogate mother. Living with someone for 11 years has made me the man I am today.’

Paul was given the chance to go home after learning of the Queen’s passing, but chose to stay in the jungle to share “his grief” over the deceased monarch with his fellow players.