David Baddiel has said food critic Grace Dent’s sudden I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! exit confirmed his decision not to appear on the show.
The show’s hosts Ant and Dec announced that Dent, 50, had quit the Australian jungle camp during Monday night’s episode, with ITV later confirming she made the decision “on medical grounds”.
In the run-up to her exit, Dent struggled during her first week on the show and was seen telling her campmates that she had “had enough” and wanted to go home.
After competing in the “Touchdown of Terror” trial, she appeared subdued when Dent was voted by the public to take on the next challenge “Down the Tubes” alongside This Morning presenter Josie Gibson.
Last year, Baddiel, 59, revealed that ITV had offered him a hefty fee for participating in the survival competition, adding that “it caused me a little bit of pain to turn it down”, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
His tweet read: “In the past I’ve been offered I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! but if I were to have a personality transplant and do it and then was asked, like various contestants did to [former health secretary] Matt Hancock last night, why I was doing it, I would say, without a seconds thought, ‘For the money’.”
When one fan asked how much money he had been offered, Baddiel replied: “A fair wedge, I have to say. I mean it caused me a little pain to turn it down, is all I’m saying.’
However, Dent’s abrupt departure from the show “confirmed” he had made the right decision by turning the offer down, the comedian told Metro.co.uk on Monday (28 November).
Describing Dent as his friend, Baddiel said: “I’m confirmed as ever in my decision to say no to I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
“[Dent] leaving early has confirmed that. Nigel Farage’s bottom has confirmed that. And as ever, the enormous of insects too. So yeah. I think I was right to turn it down.”
In addition to Dent, Baddiel was referring to controversial politician Farage and his decision to strip down for a hot bath in full view of his fellow campmates.
When EastEnders star Danielle Harold caught sight of Farage’s bare bottom, she said to herself: “That’s a sight… for sore eyes.”
The remaining contestants, including Jamie Lynn Spears, Martin Humes, and Frankie Dettori, became emotional when they learnt Dent had quit the show, with Fred Sirieix declaring the journalist “hadn’t let them down” during Monday night’s episode.
While they were initially only told that Dent couldn’t take part in the Bushtucker trial, the campmates only discovered she had officially left I’m a Celeb when Hollyoaks star Nick Pickard read out a statement from her.
The message read: “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.”
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs Sunday to Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 9.30pm on ITV.
