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'I'm A Celeb' star Richard Madeley was not given preferential treatment, says Welsh health board

Albertina Lloyd
·Contributor
·2-min read
Richard Madeley underwent health checks in a Welsh hospital after suffering a 'funny turn' on the ITV show. (Shutterstock)
Richard Madeley underwent health checks in a Welsh hospital after suffering a 'funny turn' on the ITV show. (Shutterstock)

Richard Madeley was not given 'VIP treatment' says the Welsh hospital he visited during his appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

The 65-year-old TV presenter was forced to quit the ITV reality show last week after he suffered a 'funny turn' caused by dehydration and was sent to hospital for a health check.

The Good Morning Britain began speaking incoherently at around 4.30am in the morning on Thursday, November 25, and was sent to hospital for tests, only to return later the same day for an exit interview with hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

Read more: Richard Madeley reveals he was suffering from dehydration on I'm A Celeb

This sparked speculation on social media as to the speed of Madeley's hospital visit at a time when NHS accident and emergency waiting times are known to be at a crisis point.

A spokesperson for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: "In media coverage of Richard Madeley’s recent hospitalisation, there has been a tacit suggestion that he was given preferential treatment.

STRICT EMBARGO - NO USAGE BEFORE 22:15 GMT, 26 Nov 2021 - EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (12619018cf) Morning Story - Richard Madeley with Ant and Dec 'I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here!' TV Show, Series 21, Gwrych Castle, Wales, UK - 26 Nov 2021
Richard Madeley was back in time to pre-record his exit interview with Ant and Dec. (ITV/Shutterstock)

"We are unable to comment on the prioritisation or treatment of any individual patients.

"However, we wish to remind people that in line with the founding principles of the NHS, we always prioritise patients on the basis of clinical need, irrespective of their celebrity status."

Madeley said afterwards: "I think I got dehydrated, that's all it was.

"I went to the hospital had all the tests you can imagine, and I've got 100% clean bill of health — by then I'd had a cup of tea and a drink of water. And I was back on the rails."

The TV presenter was not allowed to return to the camp at Gwrych Castle in north Wales as he had broken the show's coronavirus restrictions by going to hospital.

<p>Richard Madeley has revealed it was dehydration that led to his early exit from <em>I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!</em></p> <p>Credit: @GMB Via Twitter / Good Morning Britain / ITV</p>
Richard Madeley said he was given 'every test you can imagine'. (Good Morning Britain / ITV)

At the weekend all the celebrities were removed from the castle for their own safety, after Storm Arwen struck the production site, causing severe damage.

The contestants — including footballer David Ginola, popstar Frankie Bridge and music producer Naughty Boy — isolated separately in hotels, with no access to phones, internet or TV, in order to maintain the show's COVID bubble.

Read more: I'm A Celebrity: Naughty Boy clashes with another campmate over cooking

They returned to the camp on Tuesday morning.

Watch: Richard Madeley said dehydration caused his 'funny turn'