Real reason I’m A Celebrity’s Grace Dent quit as pals admit fears for ‘gaunt’ MasterChef star
GRACE Dent sensationally quit I’m a Celebrity after being pushed to her mental and physical limits.
Pals revealed they were concerned for the MasterChef star in the hours leading up to her shock departure, saying: “Grace looks broken”.
Grace, 50, walked out of the jungle yesterday evening and was on a flight back to the UK just hours later
She looked gaunt as she boarded the 11:25pm flight from Brisbane to Singapore and appeared downcast as she queued to check in.
ITV said the food critic had left on “medical grounds” and those close to Grace said she was completely drained from her nine-day stint in camp.
A source said: “Grace is hugely relieved to be out of I’m a Celeb. She pulled the plug because she couldn’t carry on, mentally or physically.
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“It has been incredibly difficult for her and it all became too much. The cold and wet weather, coupled with the punishing tasks and lack of food took its toll.
“She has lost a lot of weight and looks gaunt. Her friends just want her to get home.”
Those close to Grace said it became evident something was wrong when she did not get involved in camp conversations – most notably in a camp row over Brexit between Nigel Farage and Fred Sirieix on Sunday night.
The source added: “Grace is incredibly talented and very passionate about politics. When she failed to get involved, it was clear she was feeling defeated.
“It is the first anniversary of her dear dad George’s death in a few weeks too so that would have no doubt been playing on her mind.
“Getting out is the best thing she could have done. I’m a Celebrity is a really tough show and it’s not for everyone.”
Grace left after being nominated for last night’s Down The Tubes Bushtucker Trial.
Her face looked blank as her name was read out, with pals saying it would have been “the final straw”.
The Carlisle-born broadcaster and writer, who was popular with fans of the show, started to show signs she was struggling last week.
She told Josie Gibson in camp: “I’ve had enough. I’ve completely had enough. I just want to go home.”
Before this, Grace had thrown herself into gruelling challenges including Pole Position and Touchdown of Terror.
In the latter, she came out on top and told her team afterwards: “I really needed that. I really needed to be good in that trial because I was really doubting myself.”
Over the weekend, insiders on the ITV show said she had become more “despondent”, with one adding: “Grace was clearly feeling very low.
She is hugely popular in camp and the others rallied around her but it was clear she’d had enough.
“Leaving was the best decision. The show is meant to test you but not break you.”
Back in 2012, she wrote about the show in a newspaper: “Let’s be frank, I’m a Celeb, love it or hate it, is far from a deluxe viewing experience.
“It is a puerile venture into starvation, televised constipation and animal cruelty, abbreviated by ads for Iceland £1 curries.”
But she said watched it, adding: “We all need our big dumb fun somewhere.”
