Olivia Attwood has been forced to quit I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! on medical grounds, less than 24 hours after the launch show.
The 31-year-old star, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2017, was among the favourites to win this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity, which has returned to Australia after being moved to the UK during the pandemic.
During Sunday night’s opening episode, viewers watched as Attwood skydived out of a helicopter alongside radio presenter Chris Moyles.
However, ITV said on Monday she has since had to leave on medical grounds after being told it was “not safe” to go back to camp.
A show spokesman told Sky News: “As a precautionary measure Olivia needed to leave the jungle to undergo some medical checks.
“Unfortunately, the medical team has advised it is not safe for Olivia to return to camp as there needs to be further investigation.
“She has been absolutely brilliant and she’ll be very much missed on the show.”
The first episode of the series saw Attwood and singer Boy George revealed as the two celebrities voted by the public to become Jungle VIPs, and they were both allowed to pick another star to enjoy a slap-up meal with.
Attwood picked Moyles, and after their food the pair jumped 10,000ft out of a helicopter on to a deserted island beach – where they later discovered that VIP stood for “Very Isolated People”.
Speaking about the skydive, an emotional Attwood said: “Oh my God I’m crying, that’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, ever. That is incredible. Top 10 experience of my life. Just amazing.”
The pair were joined by Boy George and his VIP pick, TV presenter and property expert Scarlette Douglas, who had to row their way to the beach.
The group then discovered they would spend the night marooned on the island together, before taking on the first trial of the series and then joining their fellow celebrities in the main camp.
Attwood appeared in series three of Love Island and went on to become one of the show’s most successful stars. Speaking before the start of I’m A Celebrity, she said she was looking forward to debunking the misconception that she is “high maintenance”.
It is not clear if she will appear in any of the second episode of the series, which is set to air on Monday evening.
Sky News has contacted representatives for the star for comment.
Hancock expected to join in next few days
The launch episode saw the 10 starting celebrities enter the Australian jungle for the first time since 2019, following two series set at Gwrych Castle in North Wales due to COVID travel restrictions.
Headlines ahead of the series have been dominated by the news that former health secretary Matt Hancock is set to join the camp as a late arrival.
Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly confirmed there will indeed be two extra campmates showing up in the next few days, and poked fun at Hancock, who is MP for West Suffolk, saying they would be “rolling out the welcome mat for them soon”.
Read more: I’m A Celebrity line-up in full – with bombshell arrivals
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Business Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News on Monday morning that he would not be voting for Mr Hancock and that he thinks his fellow Tory MP should instead be “looking after his constituents”.
Asked if he was looking forward to seeing the politician having to eat jungle nasties such as crocodile anus, Mr Shapps replied: “Tempting as that is, I think I’ll probably be focusing on my job as business secretary, and I’ll be off at COP27 later this week as well, so I fear I might miss him depending on how long he survives.”
He added: “I just think he should be here looking after his constituents, rather than in the jungle somewhere.”
Mr Hancock is expected to join the series alongside comedian Seann Walsh, who made headlines after being photographed kissing his Strictly Come Dancing partner in 2018.