Grace Dent has broken her silence several days after leaving the I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here jungle.
The celebrated food critic has said that the hit ITV show, where famous faces are dropped into the Australian jungle to take on a series of ‘Bushtucker Trials’ to win their meals, ‘showed me that I am physically stronger than I thought’.
In a lengthy statement issued on her Instagram page, Grace thanked her followers for an ‘outpouring of love’ and said that she is ‘overwhelmingly sad right now’.
But she also celebrated in her statement all of the things she achieved in her short stint on I’m A Celeb.
She quit the show earlier this week with fans expressing concern for her mental and physical wellbeing during the episode prior.
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She spoke of cockroaches in her ear canal, mealworms in her bra, and of climbing off the side of a skyscraper.
Grace Dent has spoken about her I’m A Celebrity exit in a lengthy statement. Credit: Instagram @gracedent
Grace also said that the jungle allowed her to tap into a calm mental space and taught her to ‘stay calm, have empathy and that screaming achieves nothing but wasted calories’.
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She wrote that I’m A Celebrity ‘gave me a short, sharp glimpse into the pain some folk worldwide endure’.
Grace Dent signed off her statement with: “My plan is to recover…and when the adrenaline finally ebbs away, to make some serious plans for dinner. Three courses, extra potatoes, definitely pudding. I think I deserve it.”
Dear friends. Thank you for the outpouring of love I’ve received since I was removed on Monday. I am overwhelmingly sad right now, but determined to keep alive in my heart the huge personal breakthroughs I made over the weeks. I spent 15 days without a phone or any contact with loved ones, living much of the time outdoors in a rain forest in very wet weather. It gave me a short, sharp glimpse into the pain some folk worldwide endure. Normal life, forever, will always feel beautiful.
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Until now, I had no idea I could find a mental space where I could calmly climb down the side of a sky scraper and then slide out on a pole, unlocking stars,as the cars below on the street felt the size of ants.
I had no idea it was possible to be shown an American football helmet and be informed I was shortly to be locked in at the neck and filled to the eyebrows with cockroaches, and for me to think ‘OK this is doable, the trick is to breathe’.
For as long as I live, I shall never forget the cockroach that entered my ear canal and the sound of its little feet creeping closer down to my brain. It took us two goes to lure him out. Sat on the grass behind the ‘Scarena’ he finally washed up.
The jungle showed me how quickly I could become blasé about sleeping with hungry rats, noisy toads, moths and Huntsman spiders. It taught me that when you have to sleep close to the enemy the trick is to stay calm, have empathy and that screaming achieves nothing but wasted calories.
The jungle showed me that I am physically stronger than I thought; I can carry a lot of logs and water up hill, build fire and eat hare innards at dawn for breakfast.
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I hope I gave you all a smile. I didn’t go out as I planned or I wanted, but I did what I could, and I did it in a siren red gel manicure without chipping a nail. I didn’t cry when I took off my bra to find a family of mealworms living in the right cup. At some level, this must be an achievement.
My plan is to recover…and when the adrenaline finally ebbs away, to make some serious plans for dinner.
Three courses, extra potatoes, definitely pudding. I think I deserve it.
I love you all and miss my jungle crew. Miss Grace Dent xxx
Pet Shop Boys named amongst latest wave of unreal acts set to play MTV EMAs at Co-op Live
Danny Jones
Synth-pop legends Pet Shop Boys are among the latest names to have been added to the artists set to play the MTV EMAs in Manchester next month.
The 2024 MTV EMAs ceremony is coming to the state-of-the-art Co-op Live arena, the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in Europe, for its Manchester debut on 10 November and the lineup of performers and presenters has already pricked up our ears.
Raye, Shawn Mendes and Teddy Swims are just a few of those previously announced, so we were pretty happy to begin with, but now the English duo and 1980s are in the mix we’re starting to get very excited.
Make way, Mancs, because the Pet Shop Boys and their ‘West End Girls’ are coming our way – they’re not the only ones either…
Confirming the news on Wednesday afternoon, MTV revealed that not only will Pet Shop Boys be performing on the highly-anticipated night, but they will also be joined by the likes of K-pop girl group, Le Sserafim and Mexican musician, Peso Pluma.
Perhaps most excitingly, these new additions will also be joined by South African pop and R’n’B star: the new ‘Queen of Popiana’ herself, Tyla.
The 22-year-old amapiano singer – best known for her breakthrough single ‘Water’, which was an instant hit on the radio, and online and even spawned a viral TikTok dance craze – hasn’t performed in Manchester before given her career is still in its early days
Make no mistake either way, she’s one of the fastest-rising acts on the planet right now and it’s a really big get for the 30th year of the annual award ceremony.
Once again, the 2024 MTV EMAs in Manchester take place on Sunday, 10 November, where huge stars like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Beyoncé and more are all nominated, not to mention names like Pet Shops, Boys, Tyla and Raye will all be performing.
Audio North is even hosting an exclusive competition for win tickets, a hotel stay and more ahead of the event, but entry runs out this Thursday, 30 October, you best enter quickly!
If you’ve still not made it to Manchester’s game-changing new live music venue, believe us, you’re about to be blown away…
MTV EMAs reveal full list of performers and presenters ahead of Manchester debut at Co-op Live
Thomas Melia
The performers for the 2024 MTV EMAs have been announced today, with some very famous faces making an appearance.
This year sees Manchester crowned the home of the prestigious award ceremony for the first time ever, and what better way to celebrate than hosting in the UK’s newest live entertainment venue Co-op Live
Tooting-born Rachel Keen, more famously known as Raye, is flying the flag for the UK on the MTV EMAs stage as she will be the only British act performing this year so far.
The musical talent is no stranger to award shows as this year has been very successful for her following a sweep at this year’s BRITs such as ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘British Artist of the Year’.
Earlier this month, the entertainment brand announced the full awards list and nominations including household names like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Ariana Grande.
Taylor Swift is leading the nominations for the MTV EMAs. Ariana Grande has several nominations of her own.Beyoncé is always in the conversation.Credit: Press Images (supplied)
Raye will be sharing the stage with a handful of acts like Shawn Mendes and Teddy Swims with more names to be announced very soon.
Mendes has amassed a large cult following for his guitar-heavy singles like ‘Stitches’, ‘There’s Nothin’ Holding Me Back’ and the steamy 2019 single ‘Señorita’ with Camila Cabello.
Pop singer and vocal belting God, Teddy Swims has come into the spotlight recently since releasing his songs onto social media with his standout single ‘Lose Control’ – which he also performed with the one and only Kelly Clarkson – gaining lots of traction, especially on TikTok.
There’s also buzz around rising star Benson Boone after his hit ‘Beautiful Things’ followed the same trajectory of Swims becoming an overnight star due to its virality.
Mexican rock band The Warning are also taking to the stage and like many other acts who are set to play, this will be their first time performing at this incredible new music venue.
Teddy Swims has been announced as a performer at the MTV EMAs 2024 in Manchester.Raye is also set to put on a showstopper.Shawn Mendes fills out the stunning 2024 lineup.Just a handful of the performers confirmed for the 2024 MTV EMAs. (Credit: Supplied)
The performers and nominees won’t be the only recognisable faces attending the event as the presenters helping give out the awards are stars too.
Manchester is set to become a mini Hollywood for one night only as acting royalty Jodie Turner-Smith, known for her role as Anne Boleyn, is just one of the presenters for the award show.
Aaron Taylor Johnson, who has starred in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bullet Train, as well as UK cult classic film, Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging, will also be there on the evening.
Lucien Laviscount and Gavin Rosendale are joining the presenting team too, with more big names set to be announced very soon.
Daisy Jackson -
30th November 2023 
