Julia Morris is one of Australia’s favourite funny women, but behind the laughter, she has been hiding a secret health battle.

Fresh from eight weeks in the jungle hosting I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Morris had moved straight on to her next project when the disease took hold.

She should have been enjoying a career high, but instead was confined to a bed on set between scenes. The culprit was shingles — a common viral illness that left the Gold Logie nominee laid out flat for four months.

Morris, who is in her 50s, believed she was too young to contract the infection — a common misconception.

Shingles caused nearly 2500 hospital admissions in 2022, with a free vaccine available nationwide for over-65s and the immunocompromised.

The comedian spoke to 10 News+ to share her story and discuss her recent involvement in a pharmaceutical company’s awareness campaign.