Grace Dent feels 'overwhelmingly sad' after I'm A Celebrity exit
Grace Dent is "overwhelmingly sad" after being forced to leave 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!'
The 50-year-old food critic left the jungle this week on medical grounds, and she has now taken to social media to thank everyone for their support while noting she is "determined to keep alive the huge breakthroughs [she] made over the weeks".
In a candid letter shared with fans on Instagram, she wrote: "Dear friends. Thank you for the outpouring of love I’ve received since I was removed on Monday.
"I am overwhelmingly sad right now, but determined to keep alive in my heart the huge personal breakthroughs I made over the weeks.
"I spent 15 days without a phone or any contact with loved ones, living much of the time outdoors in a rain forest in very wet weather.
"It gave me a short, sharp glimpse into the pain some folk worldwide endure. Normal life, forever, will always feel beautiful.
"Until now, I had no idea I could find a mental space where I could calmly climb down the side of a sky scraper and then slide out on a pole, unlocking stars,as the cars below on the street felt the size of ants."
The 'MasterChef' star referenced getting up close and personal with cockroaches, including one that found its way into her ear canal.
She continued: "For as long as I live, I shall never forget the cockroach that entered my ear canal and the sound of its little feet creeping closer down to my brain.
"It took us two goes to lure him out. Sat on the grass behind the ‘Scarena’ he finally washed up.
"The jungle showed me how quickly I could become blasé about sleeping with hungry rats, noisy toads, moths and Huntsman spiders.
"It taught me that when you have to sleep close to the enemy the trick is to stay calm, have empathy and that screaming achieves nothing but wasted calories."
Being on the ITV reality show has shown her she is "physically stronger" than she realised, while she hopes her time in the jungle kept viewers entertained.
She said: "I hope I gave you all a smile. I didn’t go out as I planned or I wanted, but I did what I could, and I did it in a siren red gel manicure without chipping a nail.
"I didn’t cry when I took off my bra to find a family of mealworms living in the right cup. At some level, this *must* be an achievement.
"My plan is to recover…and when the adrenaline finally ebbs away, to make some serious plans for dinner. Three courses, extra potatoes, definitely pudding. I think I deserve it.
"I love you all and miss my jungle crew. Miss Grace Dent xxx"
