Food writer and restaurant critic Grace Dent has made a dramatic early exit from this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
A spokesperson for the show explained that Dent had left the jungle ‘on medical grounds’, saying: ‘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.’
Dent had said that she was struggling at various points in the show. In one instance, she is shown speaking to campmate Josie Gibson, saying, ‘I've had enough. I've completely had enough. I just want to go home.’
She was then due to face Monday night’s bushtucker trial, Down The Tubes, before leaving the jungle.
Viewers of the show had expressed concern that Dent had looked tired and unwell in the latest episodes. ‘She looked ill from day one,’ said one viewer, whilst another remarked, ‘she was looking more and more exhausted and anxious, and being chosen for a trial was probably the last straw. I hope she gets plenty of r ‘n’ r #ImACeleb.’
Grace penned a letter to the rest of the cast, which Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard read out on the show:
‘My dear campmates, I'm so sorry to let you down. I have left the camp for medical reasons,’ she said in her statement.
‘My heart is broken, I have loved and enjoyed getting to know you all. You've held me up and it's been a pleasure being your friend through this experience.
‘Leaving you all at this stage will be one of the saddest things in my life. I love you all. Your friend, Miss Grace Dent.’
Dent has since shared her thoughts via Instagram, thanking viewers of the show for their support and reflecting on her experience. You can read the full post below:
The 2023 show has so far garnered lower audience numbers than previous seasons - the launch of this year’s show racked up seven million viewers, compared to a consolidated audience of 12 million last year.
Also among this year’s cast is First Dates host Fred Sirieux, as well as politician Nigel Farage, pop star and presenter Marvin Humes, and Britney Spears’ sister Jamie Lynn.
If food TV is your thing, keep up to date with the new season of MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 with our handy guide.