Beverley Callard has left the jungle camp but it was not a decision she wanted to make.

Beverley Callard insisted her jungle adventure was better second time around - despite being forced to leave I’m A Celebrity…South Africa on medical grounds.

In a shock moment on the show, Bev was seen tearfully coming back into camp to tell the others she was leaving. She said: “I didn’t feel very well this morning. I had a bit of a funny turn, they have said I can’t come back in, I have got to go out. The medics have advised I can’t return to camp. I’ve got to go home.”

With tears in their eyes they add: “I don’t want to go. I’m absolutely gutted. I wanted to finish. I wanted to prove older women could do it.”

The other celebs then hugged her and said and emotional goodbye before she exiting the camp. In her first interview since leaving camp, Beverley said: “I’ve had the experience of a lifetime. The people were amazing. They were the best bunch of people ever. Yes, we were hungry and we were dirty but it was wonderful.”

Having appeared on the Australian version of the show six years ago, she added: “This time has completely overshadowed 2020. I’m so glad I said yes, because I did have to think about it. I’ve been covered in bugs before, did I really want to do it again?

“Also, last time I’d just had a new hip, so there were a lot of challenges I wasn’t allowed to do. I hated that, because I’m not like that. I wanted to be up for everything and this time I could be. The sunshine and the climate changed everything. It completely knocked 2020 out of the park.”

Beverley did not go into further detail about the medical issue which caused her to leave. The show was filmed in September 2025 in South Africa, which came just a few months before she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the start of this year.

She recently had an op to remove the cancer and in a video on social media this week she admitted she was resting up at the moment, but she added: “ I'm good. Got the big I'm A Celebrity final on Friday – which I'm very excited about, and so I've got to get myself well for that.”

Discussing her I’m A Celebrity adventure further, she recalled at the start being in the basic camp with basic rations after losing a challenge.

She said: “Savannah Scrub was horrific. It was me, Seann and Adam originally and we had no idea how to cook rice and beans. Gemma came in later which was good because she can cook, so we were thrilled to bits. We couldn’t work out how to empty the loo, we couldn’t work out anything, we were useless. Then when they put us into the main camp, it was like moving into a five star hotel!”

Going on to praise the late entrees, Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard, she said: “When Harry and Jimmy arrived, that was just fantastic. I’d never met either of them before. Harry has made me fall in love with his wife, Sandra, even though I’ve never met her! He’s one of those people, you want to go up to and listen to. You feel like he’s the most understanding person in the world. I didn’t know who Jimmy was at all, because I’m not into football. At first I thought I might not have that much in common with him, but he’s got this twinkle, this sparkle.”

She picked out Sinitta for special attention, describing her as “beautiful, talented, but really sensitive” and saying the camp was great for conversations.

She added: “We had deep and personal conversations after a few days. When you’ve spent 24 hours a day together, you get to know each other really quickly and deeply. I can’t remember seeing a group of people get on as exceptionally well as we did.”

Sinitta said she was “an inspiration” but one person who took it hardest when Bev left camp was Adam Thomas.

He went to the Bush telegraph in tears and said: “I don’t know why, it just really hit home. It is so sad to see her go out like that.”

Scarlett Moffat said: “Selfishly I would want her to stay but her health is more important. The camp will really not be the same without her.”

* I'm A Celebrity continues weekdays on ITV and ITVX at 9pm.

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