TV & Showbiz

Grace Dent leaves I’m A Celebrity jungle for medical reasons 

Her replacement has now been confirmed.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 27th November 2023

Food critic Grace Dent has officially left the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here jungle on medical grounds. 

The celebrated food critic has become the first celeb to leave the hit reality show after just a week in the Australian jungle.

The public-voted eliminations don’t usually begin until around 10 days into the competition.

She leaves campmates behind including Marvin Humes from JLS, politician Nigel Farage, singer Jamie-Lynn Spears, reality star Sam Thompson, and First Dates star Fred Sirieix.

A spokesperson for ITV confirmed this morning that Grace has left the show immediately ‘on medical grounds’.

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I’m A Celebrity viewers had just voted for Grace and Josie Gibson to take on tonight’s Bushtucker Trial, titled ‘Down the Tubes’.

Eastenders star Danielle Harold will take now take her place in the challenge tonight.

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Fans of the show had been voicing concerns for Grace’s health during last night’s show, saying she looked ‘not ok’.

One person wrote on I’m A Celebrity’s Instagram account: “Worried about Grace. She looks like she’s having a breakdown. They should get her out of there.”

Another said: “Is nobody on this production worried about Grace Dent?”

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Someone else wrote on X: “I said this would happen when I saw her reaction to being picked for the trial last night. She looked broken and tbh, can’t commend her more for taking the right decision and looking after herself first and foremost.”

One user posted: “Sorry to hear Grace Dent has left #ImACeleb – she did not look at all well yesterday and showed very little emotion when voted to do a trial. Hope she’s OK.”

A statement from I’m A Celebrity said: “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. #ImACeleb.”

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Featured image: ITV

TV & Showbiz

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! lineup confirmed, with Wayne Rooney heading to the jungle

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! lineup confirmed, with Wayne Rooney heading to the jungle

The lineup of stars heading into the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle have been revealed – and Wayne Rooney is one of the famous faces heading into camp.

11 celebrities will spend the next weeks living in the Australian jungle, as the hit ITV reality show returns for its 26th series.

Ant and Dec will be hosting an impressive cast of stars as they survive Bushtucker trials, the public vote, and the dunny.

This year’s star-studded lineup includes none other than former Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, just a couple of years after his wife Coleen finished as runner-up.

Joining him around the campfire this year will be Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page, and reality star Chloe Burrows, plus Ade Adepitan, who will make history as the show’s first wheelchair user.

Here’s who will be swapping their everyday lives for jungle camp.

Wayne Rooney – Footballer

The former Manchester United and Everton star, who retired from playing in 2021, said he has finally found the time to take part in his favourite reality show. His wife Coleen appeared in the jungle in 2024 and Wayne said he’s ‘just looking forward to experiencing it in my own way’.

He also added that jumping out of a helicopter is a big fear, and he doesn’t like snakes, but he will ‘try everything’ if an eating Bushtucker trial comes up.

Ricky Wilson – Kaiser Chiefs singer

The Leeds-born frontman and former The Voice coach said friends, including former contestant Tony Blackburn, encouraged him to sign up, and added that he’s looking forward to camp life and a break from touring.

Joanna Page – Actor

Best known as Stacey Shipman in Gavin & Stacey, Joanna hopes the experience will give her three weeks away from motherhood and a chance to rediscover herself. She admits spiders are a major fear and has spent the last few weeks watching them on TV to try and ready herself.

Chloe Burrows – Reality TV star

The Love Island 2021 finalist and podcast host is a huge fan of the programme. She is looking forward to making friends, facing creepy crawlies and enjoying a digital detox, adding that she’ll enjoy ‘no dating, no bikinis – just massive rats, spiders, and snakes’.

Ade Adepitan – Paralympian and presenter

The former wheelchair basketball Paralympian will make history as the show’s first wheelchair user (producers are adapting the camp to ensure accessibility). Ade said that going on I’m A Celebrity… is ‘the sort of thing you dream about as a kid’.

Sharky – Content creator

The Beta Squad YouTube star, whose group has 12.1 million subscribers, is excited about taking on the trials and spending time away from his phone. He should be good value when it comes to any eating challenges, saying: “Whenever I do eating challenges on YouTube, I am always throwing up or gagging. There’s a whole compilation of me throwing up on YouTube.”

AJ Odudu – TV presenter

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The Big Brother presenter is swapping hosting duties for the contestant experience, describing the jungle as her scariest television challenge yet. She added: “It also feels quite weird the tables have turned on me.”

Jack Skipper – Comedian

The stand-up comedian, formerly a carpet fitter, is excited to meet his fellow campmates and tackle the eating trials. He said: “I am never going to have another opportunity to eat testicles, so let’s do it. I’ve also jumped out of a plane before and that was a great experience.”

Leomie Anderson – Model

The Victoria’s Secret model wants to challenge perceptions and show young women they can take risks and embrace new experiences. Leomie said: “I definitely want them to know they can get stuck in, they can get dirty, try new things, take risks and truly be themselves.”

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Claire Sweeney – Actor

The former Coronation Street and Brookside star is a longtime fan (she’s dreamed of being a campmate ever since the show started) and is looking forward to meeting people outside her theatre world. As for the eating trials, she revealed: “My dad was a butcher and he used to bring all sorts of things home. I am used to trying things.”

Mariella Frostrup – Broadcaster

The journalist and Loose Women star hopes to prove age should never stop anyone embracing new challenges. She’s most worried about how much she’ll miss her family.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! returns Monday 16 November at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Featured image: ITV

TV & Showbiz

‘Surreal’ moment Stevie Wonder dines at Stalybridge restaurant after enormous Manchester gig

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson ‘Surreal’ moment Stevie Wonder dines at Stalybridge restaurant after enormous Manchester gig

Stevie Wonder has stunned a local restaurant in Stalybridge after he popped in for dinner after his massive Manchester show.

The soul icon had performed a huge gig at Co-op Live on Sunday night, performing hits from his illustrious, decades-long career.

And while you might expect someone of Stevie’s fame and stature to dine at one of the city centre’s many Michelin-recommended restaurants, the star instead headed straight for the suburbs.

He was spotted dining at Cafe Continental, an independent restaurant that’s become one of the Greater Manchester’s most-hyped neighbourhood haunts since it launched two years ago.

The stylish spot is famed for its European-style restaurant and cafe culture, aiming to recreate the atmosphere of the sort of place you’d stumble upon down a back street in Rome or Paris.

On the menu they’ve got a rotation of small plates, open-fire dishes, pastas and burgers, along with their divine Parisian hot chocolate, served with a bowl of whipped cream on the side.

Cafe Continental has had a good track record for pulling in local famous faces, but arguably nothing comes close to Stevie Wonder himself.

Inside Cafe Continental in Stalybridge. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Cafe Continental in Stalybridge. Credit: The Manc Group
Soup and focaccia at Cafe Continental. Credit: The Manc Group
Soup and focaccia at Cafe Continental. Credit: The Manc Group

The night before Stevie’s visit, they’d served his band and daughter – and clearly word got back to Stevie fast, because he returned the next night to test it out for himself.

Cafe Continental posted: “Surreal things happen now and again. This is one of them! Pleasure to welcome Mr Stevie Wonder to the restaurant to close off his tour!”

And according to the MEN, Stevie left a whopping £1,000 tip for the staff.

Not only did Stevie Wonder support a local hospitality business, but he also arrived dressed in Drama Call, a Manchester-based sportswear brand.

What a guy.

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Featured image: Cafe Continental / The Manc Group

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