By Gavin Mackintosh-
Richard Madeley has had to leave I’m a celebrity following a medical emergency on set, that saw him taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
In a statement released on Instagram, the Good Morning Britain presenter said: “Richard here – firstly just to say that I’m absolutely FINE. I started to feel briefly unwell in the small hours of the morning and was taken to hospital as a precaution.
“By leaving the camp, I had consequently broken the Covid ‘bubble’ and as such I’ve had to leave the castle and all the wonderful celebs that remain in the camp.
Obviously I’m gutted to be leaving so soon but the safety of all the campmates is the number one priority. I’m incredibly excited to watch their journey continue…even more so at the prospect of being somewhere a little warmer than Gwrych Castle.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me on my brief but completely unforgettable adventure – I’ve made some great friends and honestly had the time of my life.
The 65-year-old TV presenter was earlier admitted to hospital as a precaution, after being seen by an onsite medical person.
Madeley slid head first into a sewer of rotten fruit and vegetables during a trial called Castle Kitchen Nightmares.
The challenge saw the presenter hunt for 10 hidden stars in a room “full of castle critters” as rotten food was dumped on him from above.
An ITV spokesman said: “Richard was unwell in the early hours and was immediately seen by our on-site medical team.
“He’s since been taken to hospital as a precaution; the health and safety of our campmates is our priority.”
Madeley, best-known for hosting This Morning alongside his wife, Judy Finnigan, is one of 12 contestants taking part in this year’s series at Gwrych Castle in North Wales.
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 05.43am this morning, Thursday 25 November 2021, to reports of a medical emergency at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Conwy.
“We sent a paramedic in a rapid response car and an emergency ambulance to the scene, and one patient was taken to hospital.”
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