ITV bosses ‘stepped in to help Grace Dent’ after I’m A Celebrity star ‘lost all her energy’ before quitting
ITV bosses reportedly stepped in to help Grace Dent before she quit I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here today.
MasterChef star Grace, 50, left the show on “medical grounds” and was seen at Brisbane Airport starting her trip home just hours ago.
It’s been claimed she “lost all her energy” before leaving the programme, a mutual decision between her and the broadcaster.
A source told MailOnline, “Grace decided to leave the jungle soon after it was announced that she would be doing the latest Bushtucker Trial.
They added: “It was mutually agreed upon that she would stand down from the competition, it was clear that she wasn’t being herself, she had lost all energy when usually she’s witty and fun to be around.
“ITV‘s duty of care and welfare teams had stepped in, and rightly so.
“She had struggled since living in the camp with less amenities, the weather this year has been particularly miserable and as a restaurant critic, not eating well proved to be harder than she could have ever imagined.”
Grace was due to take part in tonight’s trial, Down the Tubes.
When Ant and Dec confirmed Grace and Josie Gibson had been picked, she looked crestfallen, as Josie buried her face in her hands.
EastEnders star Danielle Harold, who received the third highest number of votes, is now expected to take her place.
Food critic Grace had been pushed to the brink after having to face a run of trials and her final effort proved one task too many and told producers she’d had enough.
Fans believe the exact moment Grace decided to quit came when she was voted to do her fourth Bushtucker trial, Down The Tubes, at the end of Sunday night’s show.
She had been criticised for putting in a “lack of effort” during a group trial.
Consequently, viewers opted to “punish” Grace by voting for her to do more trials, prompting her to threaten to quit.
She confessed to Josie Gibson that she’d had her fill, saying: “I’ve had enough. I’ve completely had enough. I just want to go home.”
After that point it became clear Grace would struggle to recover and was destined for an early exit.
A source said: “Grace was having a tough time away from her family and struggled with the lack of sleep and good food. But more than anything she was really pushed to the brink by the gruelling trials this year.
“The Scarena series meant the celebrities were all taking part in more challenges than ever and Grace had just had enough.”
During her time in camp Grace took part in a number of tough trials, including the brand new twist on Walk The Plank called Pole Position – where she impressed – and the group Locker Shocker challenge where she all but gave up.
Fans were worried too about her health.
One viewer insisted: “Grace needs to see a doctor looking ill!”
A second commented: “Grace looks more and more ill every time they show her. Didn’t vote for her to do the trial as she doesn’t look well enough to stand up, never mind anything more energetic!”
But she was boosted by success in Touchdown of Terror, when her team won when flaky Nella Rose pulled the emergency cord to quit.
Despite needing medical attention when a cockroach crawled in her ear, triumphant Grace said: “I really needed that. I really needed to be good in that trial because I was really doubting myself.”
It wasn’t all bad times for Grace, though, after she shared some laughs over ever-naked Nigel Farage.
On Saturday night’s show, footage showed Nigel in his underpants taking a wash in the sink.
Grace laughed: “The worse thing is… it’s totally normal to me. I just feel like I’ve always seen Nigel Farage in his pants. I just feel like that’s always been part of my life.
“I can’t remember a time before Nigel Farage in his pants.”
The Sun has contacted reps for Grace and ITV.
A show spokesperson said: “Unfortunately Grace Dent has left the show on medical grounds. She has been a great campmate and will be missed by her fellow celebrities and viewers alike.”
- I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues tonight on ITV1 and ITVX.
