Beverley Callard became emotional as she watched back her I’m A Celebrity South Africa exit on Tuesday night, revealing she had no idea she was battling breast cancer.
The series was pre-recorded in Kruger National Park last year, with the actress, 69, forced to leave on medical grounds after ‘a funny turn’. Four months after filming, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
In an Instagram video, Beverley explained what the incident was that prompted her to leave and how it was the ‘start’ of her battle with cancer.
Beverley said: ‘I just watched my exit on I’m A Celeb and it made me cry all over again. 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”.
Beverley Callard became emotional as she watched back her I’m A Celebrity South Africa exit on Tuesday night, revealing she had no idea at the time she was battling breast cancer
‘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 camp: ‘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.
‘I’m absolutely gutted. I don’t want to go’.
Campmate Ashley Roberts reassured her, ‘You’ve got to look after yourself and we will see you in a few days’.
Beverley continued: ‘I don’t want this to finish. I wanted to prove that older women could do it’.
The campmates were left in shock by the departure as Adam broke down in tears, ‘It is so sad to see her go out like that’, while Scarlett Moffatt added, ‘The camp won’t be the same without her’.
After being forced to leave on medical grounds, Bev gushed she had the most ‘wonderful’ time of her life.
She said: ‘I had the experience of a lifetime. The people were amazing. They were the best bunch of people ever. Yes, we were hungry and we were dirty but it was wonderful.’
Beverley Callard broke down in tears as she was forced to leave I’m A Celebrity South Africa in shock departure after falling ill in camp on Tursday night’s episode
The actress revealed she had become unwell in the night and ITV had told her she cannot continue on the show due to ill health
Bev continued: ‘This time completely overshadowed 2020. I’m so glad I said yes, because I did have to think about it. I’ve been covered in bugs before, did I really want to do it again?
‘Also, last time I’d just had a new hip, so there were a lot of challenges I wasn’t allowed to do. I hated that, because I’m not like that. I wanted to be up for everything and this time I could be.
‘The sunshine and the climate changed everything. It completely knocked 2020 out of the park.’
Previously Bev had taken part in the 20th series of the hit show hosted my Ant and Dec which took place 20th in 2020, at Gwrych Castle in Wales.
The star finished in fourth place with Giovanna Fletcher being crowned queen of the castle.
She said: ‘I’ve got something to tell you all. I didn’t feel very well and I had a bit of a funny turn and they’ve said I can’t come back in I’ve got to go. ‘I’m absolutely gutted. I don’t want to go’
Ashley Roberts reassured her, ‘You’ve got to look after yourself and we will see you in a few days’. Bev added: ‘I don’t want this to finish. I wanted to prove that older women could do it’
The campmates were left in shock by the exit as Adam broke down in tears, ‘It is so sad to see her go out like that’, while Scarlett Moffatt said, ‘The camp won’t be the same without her’
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I’m A Celeb’s Beverley Callard gives a health update after undergoing surgery for breast cancer
Beverley recently gave a health update after undergoing surgery for breast cancer and said it had spread to one of her lymph nodes.
The Coronation Street legend announced her heartbreaking early-stage diagnosis on February 6, and 14 days later, underwent an operation in which she had multiple lymph nodes removed as a precaution.
Speaking in an Instagram video last week, she said that while her cancer was successfully removed, it had spread.
Beverley said after an agonising two-month wait for the results, her consultant from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital had said the surgery ‘went really well’ and they ‘cut the cancer out’.
In the video, actress added: ‘They’re pleased with how the surgery went, and they also took three lymph nodes.
‘And this is how she explained it to me: the lymph nodes are like a staircase, and if cancer is in the lymph nodes, it sort of tends to climb up the stairs. That’s oversimplifying it, but just to help explain.’
Beverley continued: ‘They took three and cancer is in the first lymph node, it’s not in the second, two and three. So it is there, but it’s only small.’
The lymph node containing the cancer will be ‘sent to America’ to determine ‘how aggressive’ the disease is, which Beverley will find out in a few weeks.
She said: ‘If it’s aggressive, then I will have to undergo chemo first and then, after that, radiotherapy.
‘If it’s not aggressive, I will have the radiotherapy as was planned. So, I’ve just got to wait and see now again.’
Beverley explained how she felt bittersweet after finding out the results and added: ‘In one way, it was kind of good news that the surgeries worked well, which I’m really pleased about, but because it’s in the lymph nodes, it’s still a worry. And still a waiting time, which is an absolute pain.
‘But there we go, and I’m sure loads of you have been through the same thing. So that’s the state of play.’
Earlier this month, Beverley said she ‘cannot paint a smile on her face’ as she revealed her breast cancer surgery results had been delayed due to a backlog.
The soap star revealed she has been battling the disease after being diagnosed just after she relocated to Dublin to start her new job on Irish soap Fair City.
I’M A CELEBRITY ALL-STARS 2026: MEET THE CAMPMATES
GEMMA COLLINS
The GC took part in the 14th series of I’m A Celebrity back in 2014
AGE: 45
SERIES: 2014 (14th series) quit after 72 hours
OCCUPATION: Reality star
FAMOUS FOR: Gemma, popularly known as The GC, rose to fame on the reality series The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE). She is known for her larger-than-life ‘diva’ persona.
ASHLEY ROBERTS
As the 2012 runner-up, Ashley said going on I’m A Celebrity was life-changing
AGE: 44
SERIES: 2012 runner-up (12th series)
OCCUPATION: Heart Radio presenter, Pussycat Doll
FAMOUS FOR: Ashley Roberts is a showbiz correspondent for Heart Breakfast. She rose to fame in noughties girlband the Pussycat Dolls.
SIR MO FARAH
Sir Mo Farah, 43, is hoping to conquer his fear of snakes
AGE: 43
SERIES: Fifth place in 2020 (20th series set in Wales)
OCCUPATION: Olympian
FAMOUS FOR: Sir Mo is the most successful British track athlete in modern Olympic history. He won gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
DAVID HAYE
Former World Champion boxer David Haye thinks nothing will scare him in the jungle
AGE: 45
SERIES: 2012, came in third place (12th series)
OCCUPATION: Boxer
FAMOUS FOR: David is a legendary British former professional boxer. He is one of only three boxers in history to have unified the world titles at cruiserweight and gone on to become a world heavyweight champion.
SCARLETT MOFFATT
Scarlett Moffatt, 35, admitted she was feeling apprehensive about the jungle
AGE: 35
SERIES: 2016 Queen of the jungle (16th series)
OCCUPATION: Reality star
FAMOUS FOR: Scarlett became a TV favourite after joining Gogglebox. She went on to win I’m A Celebrity in 2016.
SEANN WALSH
Since Australia, Seann Walsh is now a proud dad of two
AGE: 40
SERIES: 2022, finished in fifth place (22nd series)
OCCUPATION: Comedian
FAMOUS FOR: Seann Walsh is a comedian who was caught in a cheating scandal when he starred in Strictly in 2016 alongside his professional partner Katya Jones.
SINITTA
Sinitta, 62, hopes she will finally conquer her phobia of ‘everything’
AGE: 62
SERIES: 2011, voted out second (11th series)
OCCUPATION: Eighties popstar
FAMOUS FOR: Sinitta, first reached global fame in the 1980s with hits like So Macho and Toy Boy. She was also known for her guest appearances on The X Factor.
JIMMY BULLARD
Former footballer Jimmy, 47, will be joining his fellow co-stars Gemma and Craig
AGE: 47
SERIES: 2014 (10th place)
OCCUPATION: Former footballer
FAMOUS FOR: Known as ‘The Bulldog’, Jimmy was a highly technical and energetic midfielder who became a cult hero for his sense of humour and iconic celebrations.
ADAM THOMAS
Adam’s son, Teddy, was only two when he first did the Australian jungle
AGE: 37
SERIES: Third place in 2016 (16th series)
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Adam is famous for starring in Waterloo Road and Emmerdale. He recently returned to Waterloo Road for its 20th anniversary.
HARRY REDKNAPP
Harry Redknapp won the 18th series of I’m A Celebrity back in 2018
AGE: 79
SERIES: 18th series in 2018. I’m A Celebrity King Of The Jungle.
OCCUPATION: Legendary football manager
FAMOUS FOR: Harry Redknapp’s career spans over 60 years in professional football, transitioning from a skilful winger to one of the most recognisable managers in Premier League history.
CRAIG CHARLES
Corrie legend Craig, 61, was another celebrity who starred in the 14th series
AGE: 61
SERIES: 2014 quit early
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Craig is most famous for his role as Dave Lister in the cult science-fiction sitcom Red Dwarf and for playing Lloyd Mullaney in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street.
BEVERLEY CALLARD
Beverley was part of the first series that took place in a Welsh castle in 2020
AGE: 69
SERIES: 2020, came in tenth place (20th series)
OCCUPATION: Actress
FAMOUS FOR: Beverley played Coronation Street’s iconic Liz McDonald on and off for 31 years.
