‘Absolutely frightening’: Olivia Attwood gives tell-all interview about why she had to quit I’m a Celebrity
‘I was heartbroken and gutted,’ she said
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Olivia Attwood has given a tell-all interview about why she was forced to quit I’m a Celebrity after just one day.
It was initially revealed that the former Love Island star left the series “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks”.
The team running Attwood’s Instagram page wrote on Monday night (7 November) that the public would soon learn the reason for her exit.
Now, almost a week later, Attwood has given an interview about what happened.
She told The Mail on Sunday that a routine blood test, which all the jungle campmates undergo randomly throughout the show, disclosed that she was dangerously anaemic.
It also showed concerningly low sodium and potassium levels, which prompted ITV staff to take Attwood to A&E on Tuesday, despite the star maintaining she felt “absolutely fine”.
“I was so scared,” she said. “I was like, ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’ They couldn’t give me an answer; they just told me that they had to get me to the hospital immediately.
“The results were really, really low when they put them into their reader and they consulted with another doctor off-site. I had those bloods done in England before I left, and they were fine. I was confused and, of course, very, very worried.”
Attwood said the 40-minute drive to A&E “felt like the longest journey ever”, adding: “I didn’t know what to think. I was wondering if I had picked up a virus, if I was pregnant – all of these things were going through my head. It was absolutely frightening.”
She said the tests were repeated in the hospital and came back with normal results. She then went to a hotel to get some sleep while ITV bosses decided what to do next.
Attwood said it started to dawn on her that she wouldn’t be allowed back into the show, and in the end she was right.
“They said that because of the results the show’s medical team got from my readings, they were not happy to sign me off to come back in, even though I had the clean bill of health from the hospital,” Attwood said.
“If I went back into camp, they feared my levels might drop and it could be detrimental to my health and wellbeing. They were not willing to authorise my return and therefore I wasn’t insured.
“I was absolutely devastated. I’m not a crier, but I started to cry; it was so emotional. I was heartbroken and gutted. I tried to keep my emotions in check and keep it in perspective. Things could be so much worse.
“Then the show’s staff told me everyone liked me and I was favourite to win, so leaving felt like a punch to the gut.”
Attwood said she hadn’t yet discussed her fee with ITV. She was reportedly due to be paid between £100,000 and £125,000 to appear on the show.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments