Beverley Callard forced to leave I'm A Celebrity: 'I didn't know I had cancer'

Soap star Beverley Callard was forced to leave ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity... South Africa after collapsing in the jungle camp, before she was diagnosed with cancer.

The actress, best known for playing Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, revealed in February that she has breast cancer.

On Tuesday's episode, filmed in September before her diagnosis, Callard broke down in tears after announcing she would have to leave the jungle, saying she was "absolutely gutted".

In an Instagram video posted on Tuesday, Callard explained she had passed out after feeling unwell. "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," she said.

The Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps actress, 69, said: "I went into the Bush Telegraph [the show's video diary room] 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'.

"I said, 'Don't send me home, I'm sure I'll be fine'. I've jumped out of a plane, I've hung off a cliff, and I did want to succeed and make it through to the end. But that was the start of everything, really.

"So it's made me really emotional. But I will beat this. I will beat it."

In an accompanying caption, she wrote: "I wanted to prove that age is just a number and I feel so proud of what I achieved. Just got to get through this real life trial now."

On Tuesday's episode, an emotional Callard was seen telling the other celebrities: "I didn't feel very well this morning. I had a bit of a funny turn and they've said I can't come back in. I've got to come out."

She added: "I don't want to go, I'm really sorry. I'm absolutely gutted. I wanted to finish. I wanted to prove that older women could do it."

She was consoled by campmates including ex-Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt.

After her departure, Moffatt told the cameras: "Selfishly, I would want Bev to stay, because she's like everyone's camp mam, but her health is more important."

Singer Sinitta said: "Beverley is my inspiration.

"You know that thing where you think, well, if Beverley can do it, I can do it. She gives me that. She's an amazing woman."

Meanwhile, there was more drama in Tuesday's episode when Adam Thomas furiously confronted Jimmy Bullard, after Bullard quit the show and appeared to get Thomas eliminated in the process.

The pair teamed up for a trial against their fellow campmates, with contestants told that the losing duo would leave the programme.

Former footballer Bullard didn't join in when the trial began, then said "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" to forfeit the challenge.