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Beverley Callard has revealed how she had no idea that she was battling breast cancer after her exit from I’m A Celebrity… South Africa.
The 69-year-old was forced to leave the camp on medical grounds in the pre-recorded series last year after experiencing ‘a funny turn’.
However, four months after filming had wrapped up in Kruger National Park, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Speaking in an Instagram video, Beverley explained what it was that prompted her to leave.
‘I just watched my exit on I’m A Celeb and it made me cry all over again,’ she told her followers.
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‘Of course, I didn’t know then that I had cancer but I just knew that it was the last couple of days there that I hadn’t felt very well.
‘What happened was, I went into the Bush Telegraph and apparently, I lost consciousness for a little while. I just wasn’t feeling myself.
‘They took me to a medical hut and they were amazing. They really looked after me and they said “you can’t go back”.
‘And I said “don’t say that, don’t send me home, I’ll be fine”. I wanted to succeed and make it through to the end but that was the start of everything. It’s made me really emotional but I will beat this. I will beat it.’
On the show, Beverley told her devastated campmates: ‘I’ve got something to tell you all. I didn’t feel very well this morning and I had a bit of a funny turn and they’ve said I can’t come back in I’ve got to go.
Breast cancer symptoms
According to the NHS, key breast cancer symptoms include a new lump or thickened tissue in the breast or armpit, changes in breast size/shape, skin dimpling, rash, or nipple discharge/inversion.
You should see a GP immediately if you notice any unusual changes, as early detection significantly improves treatment success.
‘I’m absolutely gutted. I don’t want to go’.
After her fellow campmate Ashley Roberts reassured her, saying ‘you’ve got to look after yourself’, Beverley added: ‘I don’t want this to finish. I wanted to prove that older women could do it.’
Breaking down in tears, Adam Thomas also said that it was ‘so sad to see her go out like that’, while Scarlett Moffatt declared: ‘The camp won’t be the same without her’.
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Describing her time on the show, Beverley said that she’s had the ‘experience of a lifetime’.
Speaking to the camera, she said: ‘The people were amazing. They were the best bunch of people ever. Yes, we were hungry and we were dirty but it was wonderful.’
This comes after I’m A Celeb fans swooped in to defend Adam after his explosive confrontation with co-star Jimmy Bullard.
The pair clashed heads on Tuesday night’s episode when Jimmy’s sudden decision to leave the camp by meant the Waterloo Road star had to come with him.
Storming out of the challenge, Adam then confronted the former footballer.
While some fans agreed with Jimmy that Adam was ‘overreacting’ to the situation, many, however, spoke up in his support.
I’m A Celebrity returns tonight at 9pm on ITV.
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