Celebs Go Dating’s Mark Labbett reveals he had to QUIT date after health scare stopped filming

CELEBS Go Dating’s Mark Labbett has revealed he was forced to quit one of his date’s after a shock health scare.

The Chase star, 59, signed up for the E4 dating show in a bid to find love again after his split from TV presenter girlfriend Hayley Palmer.

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Mark Labbett revealed he was forced to quit his date early after a health scareCredit: Matt Monfredi / Channel 4

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The Chase star revealed he had a hypoglycemia episode while filming the E4 showCredit: Rex

Mark, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2017, recalled one date that ended prematurely during filming after he had a hypoglycemia episode.

Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is a condition where the glucose level in your blood drops too low.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Mark said: “The hardest part of the process was the long filming and unfortunately for me I’m diabetic and I wear a glucose monitor and my glucose levels went off the scale and I had a full hypoglycemia episode and I might have got a little bit grumpy.

“Afterwards I did apologise to everyone.

“It overran by so much and I hadn’t had my pills and the right food.

“I got it back down to normal very quickly once I had a walk and plenty of water, it went right back down.

“I’ve realised now if I do another reality TV show, I’m going to have to build into the contract siesta breaks, I like my naps.”

The 6ft 7 quiz king, known as “The Beast”, has had a rocky road to love – and turned to the Celebs Go Dating experts to finally crack the dating game.

Mark opened up about returning to the dating scene saying: “I’ve been a single man most of my life.

“I’ll admit, I’m not the most clued up person when it comes to relationships, I summarise it – I’m the person who can tell you that Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan but what’s the name of that pretty girl who gives me the funny half smile…

“So I listened to the experts who were very good.”

Mark admitted let himself be fully vulnerable during the process but quipped: “I didn’t like it.”

Co-star Kerry Katona said: “When you go into something like this, you really have to surrender yourself, you walk in for the deep chats and you think ‘you’ve got this, you’ll be fine’, but they’re so good at what they do and you don’t realise these things about yourself and it’s quite scary.”

Mark continued: “It’s the realisation I’m turning into my grandmother, she’s a grumpy lady from Barnsley.

“I was really lucky, Kerry was jealous as hell as all of my dates were stnning,” with Kerry joking: “Mark was getting 10 out of 10s here.”

Mark continued: “Some of the dates went on really late, I’m 60 this month, I get to the point that I’m ready for bedtime.”

The quiz master has previously spoke to The Sun about his health.

Mark, who has shed ten stone in recent years, admitted years of having a sweet tooth impacted his health long-term.

“I was diagnosed back in 2016 and by 2018 I almost got un-diabetic. I must confess, I have a habit to cheat and reward myself, it’s my sin,” he said.

“I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, don’t gamble, don’t have any loose women in my life. Everyone’s got a sin and mine happens to be sugar but I didn’t realise how bad.”

MARK’S DATING PAST

Mark ended his relationship with journalist Hayley Palmer, just weeks after they celebrated their one-year anniversary with a Beefeater pub meal and walk on the beach.

Mark revealed that the split was down to him and his age – saying “It’s me, I got old”.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Mark opened up about the reason for the split, saying: “She’s [Hayley’s] a lovely lady and I was very lucky to date her for a year, and as I said… it’s me, I got old.”

Mark, who has been on The Chase for 15 years, first wooed Hayley with his Toby Carvery Gold Card. 

Although Mark is enjoying his bachelor life, he is not short of offers – saying his DMs have been flooded with messages from single women.

He also confirmed that he won’t be signing up to any celebrity dating apps like Raya, saying: “Definitely not a dating app! What’s the old phrase… when you’re in a dessert, you’re desperate for water.

“I’m in a situation where we went out on Saturday night and I got a load of people come over to talk to me on various things and you don’t feel any particular needs, it’s just nice to chat to people.

“Sometimes you’ve got to be realistic and go pick appropriately or whatever.

“While every man is looking for pretty girls, I’m looking for smart girls, call me strange.”

Meanwhile, Hayley described their breakup as “traumatic” after he callously ended things during a brutal three-minute phone call.

Mark and Katie, who are also second cousins, were together for seven years, but split when their attempts at an open marriage failed.

They first started speaking on Facebook in 2010, unaware of their familial connection.

Katie’s dad and Mark’s father are first cousins, making them second cousins.

Mark said of the unusual connection: “It wasn’t something we were aware of at the time – it was one of those things that happened.”

Mark married nurse Katie at Arundel Castle in West Sussex in October 2014.

The Sun revealed how Katie had been cheating with a local man 25 years Mark’s junior.

We also revealed how she had holidayed with a 28-year-old hunk called Scott Bate behind her famous husband’s back.

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Mark and TV presenter Hayley Palmer split shortly after their one year anniversaryCredit: Instagram

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The quiz genius has been open about his health strugglesCredit: Rex