Gillian McKeith: Who is the I’m a Celebrity South Africa contestant who fainted on the show?

A group of celebrities will be returning to the jungle in ITV’s new All-Stars edition of I’m a Celebrity – set in South Africa.

Beginning on ITV on 24 April, I’m a Celebrity… South Africa sees a number of memorable past stars come back to the series for a new set of challenges.

Carol Vorderman and ex-royal butler Paul Burrell are among those to be competing in the show.

ITV has promised that the new location will provide “bigger” and “tougher” challenges in a “harsher and more unforgiving” environment. Read everything you need to know about the pre-recorded spinoff here.

One of the contestants is the TV personality Gillian McKeith, who first appeared on the show in 2010, when she famously fainted during a live trial.

She told ITV that she is “absolutely terrified and petrified” of making a second appearance on the series that saw her voted for eight consecutive trials.

McKeith insisted that her fainting episode was not made up so she could get out of doing another tough Bushtucker Trial. “I have a history of fainting since childhood,” she said. “The day before we did the live trial, I hadn’t had much to eat and I wasn’t feeling very well – which is the precursor to passing out.

“I have fainted several times and not just in the jungle. I even fainted at a wedding once when I was the bridesmaid. They were about to say, ‘Do you take this man to be your husband?’ and I passed out.

“Sometimes you can stop yourself if you get close to the ground but the problem with the jungle is there were all these leeches and so there was no way I was going to throw myself on the ground.

“But I have never been able to forget about my fainting in the jungle! I have been reminded about I’m a Celebrity every single day since I came out by taxi drivers and people in the street! They all talk about it as if it were yesterday. They say I was entertaining. It might have been for them but it certainly wasn’t for me!”

Gillian McKeith (ITV)

McKeith, 63, is a Scottish television personality and writer, best known for promoting pseudoscientific ideas about health and nutrition. She is the former host of Channel 4‘s You Are What You Eat (2004–2006) and she used to regularly appear on the E4 health show Supersize vs Superskinny.

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She has written several books about nutrition, but the safety of her recommendations have been criticised repeatedly by qualified health professionals.

During the pandemic, she faced some backlash for promoting misinformation and anti-vax views.

I’m a Celebrity… South Africa begins on 24 April at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.