I'm A Celebrity 2011: Calamity hits camp already as Freddie Starr is hospitalised for allergic reaction
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:05 PM on 14th November 2011
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star Freddie Starr has been taken to hospital with what's thought to be a severe allergic reaction.
Doctors were called to check on the comedian, 68, after he started feeling sick following the Greasy Spoon Bushtucker Trial.
An ITV spokesman said: 'Freddie Starr was taken unwell in the jungle. He was immediately attended to by on-site medics and taken to hospital where he was assessed by doctors.
Can you blame him for being allergic? Freddie Starr was hospitalised following a Bushtucker Trial on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
'He will remain in hospital overnight as a precaution, and further tests continue. However, Freddie is in great spirits and keeping nursing staff entertained.’
Starr has well-documented problems with his heart.
However, a show insider in Australia explained, ‘Doctors have told us that it’s highly unlikely that what’s happened is related to any pre-existing condition, cardiac or otherwise.
'They think he’s had a severe allergic reaction, but they may not be able to pinpoint the cause.
'The reaction could be due to a spider bite, he might have reacted badly to a leech or a tic, or even a snake he hadn’t noticed.
Getting used to the surroundings: Starr with his campmates Stefanie Powers and Willie Carson
'He might have reacted badly to the bark of a tree he leant on, or a leaf he touched in passing.
'Doctors are testing all of these things.
'The jungle is an alien environment for most of us, but the show is always prepared for all eventualities and this is no exception.
'The unpredictability of the jungle is what sets this programme apart from other shows. The element of jeopardy is always there. However, the celebs are watched 24-hours a day by a huge team of people.'
There are dozens of cameras on the celebs, as well as 24-hour security in the camp and a huge crew around them. There are also on-site medics around the clock.'
It’s thought that Freddie started to feel the effects of his allergic reaction a couple of hours after he tackled a Bush Tucker Trial called Greasy Spoon alongside Mark Wright.
Our source added, ‘The foods are all tested on people before they reach the celebrities.
‘Extreme precautions are taken and bush tucker like the cockroaches are all bred hygienically.
‘It’s unlikely that this is the cause of his reaction, but tests are continuing and we can't rule out anything.’
