I'm A Celeb bosses fear more exits from 'sad' stars as blight on camp exposed

30 November 2023 , 10:50

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I'm A Celeb bosses fear more exits from 'sad' stars as blight on camp exposed

I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here bosses fear Jamie Lynn Spears' walkout may be followed by more contestants leaving the show, after concerns that the gritty living conditions in the Australian camp could only get worse.

The younger sister of Britney Spears quit the ITV reality series on Wednesday on 'medical grounds', just days after food critic Grace Dent left for the same reason. With two contestants already gone, I'm A Celebrity bosses are now concerned that other stars will follow suit. It's understood that the poor weather conditions in the Queensland jungle have exacerbated the bad mood of the camp, leaving everybody "miserable" and desperate to leave.

The I'm A Celebrity contestants are said to be miserable in the terrible conditions (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"The weather in the jungle this year has been terrible," a source told the Mail Online. "The campmates have had barely one full day of sunshine and have had to contend with endless rain which has only made the already gruelling living conditions worse. The weather has really affected the mood in camp. Everyone is miserable and wanting to leave." A shortage of food at the camp has also dampened spirits, as the contestants become increasingly hungry and tired on the limited diet of rice and beans.

Things reached a head after YouTube star Nella Rose and Italian jockey Frankie Dettori failed to secure any coins or stars in their Bushtucker trial, leaving host Ant admittedly 'furious' with their performance.

"Nella and Frankie's trial fell flat. No coins or stars," a source told the Sun. "What’s worse backstage is it was a two-month build to create that set and it’s resulted in a s*** trial. Her going back empty handed — and this awful weather — have left a real sense of misery."

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To make the camp's morale even worse, tension between campmates has been a regular theme on this year's series. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has already had conflict with Nella Rose and First Dates star Fred Sirieux, both of whom have challenged him on his controversial political ideologies. Meanwhile, viewers are convinced that Sam Thompson has gotten on Tony Bellew's nerves after noticing that the retired boxer appeared fed up with the Made in Chelsea star's upbeat attitude.

As for Jamie Lynn Spears, it's understood that the 32-year-old will still get paid her I'm A Celebrity fee in full despite leaving early. All campmates are paid are 72 hours of being on the show, meaning the Zoey 101 star won't have to worry about losing her lofty pay cheque.

Jamie Lynn Spears decided to quit the ITV show (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"She's been a fantastic campmate who has triumphed at trials and bonded well with her fellow celebrities," ITV said in a statement following Jamie Lynn's shock exit. The mum-of-two had hinted that she was considering leaving on numerous occasions in the camp, even threatening to quit just three days into the show.

Speaking about Jamie Lynn in the Bush Telegraph, Tony Bellew said: "She’s just getting frustrated, she misses her kids. She’s so far away from home. It’s good to just go and ask someone how they’re doing. Just look out for each other. Everyone should have that attitude with everybody."

Despite struggling immensely with homesickness and the grim conditions of the camp, Jamie Lynn appeared to be enjoying the company of her fellow castmates. "I really think I've made lifelong friends in here," she said. "I'm a pretty closed off person. And these people, I've let in fully." Jamie Lynn spoke candidly about a number of personal experiences during her time on the show, including her daughter Maddie's near-fatal accident, her teenage pregnancy and even her complex relationship with her older sister Britney. After admitting she and the US singer 'throw down' when it comes to their arguments, she added: "I've learned to stop talking about it publicly, but listen, families fight. We just do it better than most."

Emma Dooney