Grace Dent says her ‘heart is broken’ as she exits I’m A Celebrity early

The MasterChef star, 50, was pictured at Brisbane Airport hours after ITV announced on Monday morning that she was exiting the reality show early.

In Monday night’s instalment, actor Nick Pickard read out a statement in which Dent said leaving at this stage will be “one of the saddest things in my life”.

Her statement said: “My dear campmates, I’m so sorry to let you down. I have left the camp for medical reasons.

“My heart is broken, I have loved and enjoyed getting to know you all. You’ve held me up and it’s been a pleasure being your friend through this experience.

“Leaving you all at this stage will be one of the saddest things in my life. I love you all. Your friend, Miss Grace Dent.”

The campmates shared messages of support, with a tearful Danielle Harold shouting “Love you Grace” and praising her for doing “really well”.

JLS star Marvin Humes said he would miss Dent, adding: “She hasn’t let us down.”

At the start of the episode, presenter Anthony McPartlin said: “Sadly Grace Dent has left the camp for medical reasons but she’s doing fine and we all send her our best.”

Last week, Dent admitted she was struggling in the jungle before facing the Touchdown of Terror trial, telling campmate Josie Gibson: “I’ve had enough. I’ve completely had enough. I just want to go home.”

During the trial, she had to wear a helmet which filled up with jungle critters, and afterwards a medic had to examine her ear as a cockroach had crawled into it. The bug was flushed from her ear and removed.

Dent had been due to take part in the next trial, dubbed Down The Tubes, alongside Gibson, but Harold took her place as she had the next highest amount of votes from the public.

The actress said the “shock” of taking on the task at the last minute might be helpful to her and that she was “glad” she could support Gibson.

The trial saw the pair strapped into large tubes suspended high above the jungle floor and filled with critters.

Gibson had to throw the stars to Harold who had to catch them. They got eight stars in total with only two falling to the ground.

For the final two stars, they had to hold on to one large star each before being dropped from their tubes on their harnesses, which they both managed successfully.

Harold told Gibson she was “so proud” of her while Gibson said: “Danielle is a golden nugget in life. You’ve got to look after your golden nuggets in life. I’m so happy that Danielle was there with me.”

Elsewhere in the episode, it was revealed that TV star Sam Thompson was taking over as camp leader.

He chose Humes as his deputy, saying in the Bush Telegraph: “We’re going to smash it. The reason I picked Marvin is because he’s the one, when I’m being stupid, to be like, ‘Mate, you probably shouldn’t do that’.”

They had to allocate the chores, with First Dates star Fred Sirieix and actress Jamie Lynn Spears put on cooking duties, while Gibson and YouTuber Nella Rose were tasked with washing up.

Boxer Tony Bellew and Harold were put in charge of the dunny, jockey Frankie Dettori and former politician Nigel Farage were given water duties and Pickard was put on camp maintenance with Bellew.

As they had dinner the camp toasted Dent, with Thompson saying it had been an “absolute honour” to be on the show with her and Gibson adding in the Bush Telegraph that she hoped she was having the “time of her life” in a restaurant somewhere.

When it came to the next trial, the Misery Hotel, Thompson put himself forward as he said: “I’m not going to ask anyone to do something that I’m not going to do myself.”

Bellew and Humes also volunteered, with Thompson saying they would be the “three wise men”, to which Bellew joked that they should take the “wise” out.

As they arrived at the Misery Motel, the trio checked into reception before they were surprised with a shower of critters.

The episode ended on a cliffhanger with the rest of the trial to be shown on Tuesday.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues on Tuesday at 9pm.