Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviewsSign up to our free IndyArts newsletter
Olivia Attwood has opened up about her “massively frustrating” departure from I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
The former Love Island contestant entered the Australian jungle earlier this month, but had to leave the series just one day in “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks”.
Attwood has since revealed that a routine blood test, which all the jungle campmates undergo randomly throughout the show, disclosed that she was dangerously anaemic.
Results also showed concerningly low sodium and potassium levels, which prompted ITV staff to take Attwood to A&E, despite the star maintaining she felt “absolutely fine”. Further tests at the hospital showed up normal.
Appearing on This Morning on Monday (14 November), Attwood revealed that the show’s production team considered sending her back to the jungle, but ultimately decided against it due to an issue with “insurance”.
“Conversations went on through the night with production,” she told hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, adding: “I think it was an insurance thing. It was a collective decision.”
She said that producers felt they “wouldn’t be covered” if Attwood’s health deteriorated on the series as “it had already been flagged up”.
Attwood, who is an I’m a Celebrity superfan, said she was “massively” frustrated with the decision as “it’s been five years in the making”; she was the first ever Love Island star permitted to appear on the series.
“I know it sounds kind of self indulgent, but I think when you come off a reality show, you get a huge opportunity, but you can be put in a box and I was looking forward to showing a different side to myself. I am not a quitter – I was loving it,” she said.
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Sign up
Attwood also cleared up rumours that she left the show due to discovering she was pregnant, stating: “‘Olivia Attwood pregnant’ was trending on the internet – it’s not that, I can assure you.”
Olivia Attwood says she was ‘frustrated’ with ‘I’m a Celeb’ producers’ decision
(ITV/Shutterstock)
When Willoughby asked if she could take part in the series in 2023 instead, Attwood said: “I daren’t approach that question yet. I think it’ll be a logistical thing of whether we can make it work. I’d love to. But the problem we have is I’ve got my others shows and documentaries all scheduled up until this point next year.”
Attwood said that, while she’s “grateful” she’s well, it “makes it harder having to accept” having to quit the show. “There are worse things happening in the world. but yeah, I’m gutted,” she added.
When asked how she would have acted around former health secretary Matt Hancock, Attwood said: “It’s a difficult one. When you’re living in those environemnts, you have to take things carefully. I would have done it with humour, given him a bit of stick.
“But, even though it is funny, a lot of what happened is not funny. If you’re someone who lost a relative while he’s snogging his face off, it’s not funny is it?”
I’m a Celebrity continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.
