Beverley Callard ‘absolutely gutted’ to miss I’m A Celebrity final on medical advice

Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has been forced to miss the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa final tonight after doctors advised her not to travel following her breast cancer surgery

(Image: Instagram)

Beverley Callard has been forced to withdraw from the I’m A Celeb final.

The actress informed fans that medical professionals have recommended she does not travel from her home in Ireland to London for the occasion.

While I’m A Celebrity… South Africa is pre-recorded, this evening one contestant will be crowned champion before a live studio audience in London. However, Beverley, recognised for her portrayal of Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald, has shared with fans that she is “gutted” she cannot attend, despite having arranged her flights, reports the Mirror.

The 69 year old received a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer in February this year, four months following filming for the ITV series, but had surgery this month to remove the disease, which had extended to a lymph node. She informed fans: “Yesterday, I should have flown to England to get ready for the I’m A Celeb final.”

(Image: Instagram)

In a video posted on her social media platforms, the actress continued: “I was so excited and looking forward to it, but on medical advice, I can’t go, I am absolutely gutted.

“I was dying to see them all, and it would have been brilliant. I can’t go, and yesterday, the flights were booked and everything, but no, they said, it is basically too long a day with flying there and then a very late night, so here I am.”

“I will be watching, and I will be on Zoom chatting to everybody. So I’ve got to make the best of a bad job, but I am resting, and I am doing as I am told. Thanks to everybody.” Captioning her post, Beverley added: “A last-minute change of plans…Absolutely gutted, but I know it’s for the best. Resting up and getting well is more important at the moment.”

Earlier in the week, ITV viewers witnessed Beverley’s unexpected exit from the camp following a “funny turn,” which she subsequently learnt marked the “start” of her battle with breast cancer.

(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)

Taking to social media on Tuesday evening, Beverley shared: “I just watched my exit on I’m A Celeb, and it made me cry all over again. Of course, I didn’t know then that I had cancer, but I just knew that it was the last couple of days there that I hadn’t felt very well.”

She continued: “What happened was, I went into the Bush Telegraph, and apparently, I lost consciousness for a little while. I just wasn’t feeling myself. They took me to a medical hut, and they were amazing. They really looked after me, and they said, ‘You can’t go back.’ And I said, ‘Don’t say that, don’t send me home, I’ll be fine’. I wanted to succeed and make it through to the end, but that was the start of everything. It’s made me really emotional, but I will beat this. I will beat it.”

Breaking the news to her fellow campmates about her departure, Beverley told them: “I’ve got something to tell you all. I didn’t feel very well this morning, and I had a bit of a funny turn, and they’ve said I can’t come back in. I’ve got to go. I’m absolutely gutted.

“I don’t want to go.” Last week, Beverley confirmed her cancer surgery had been a success, with doctors removing the disease. She revealed, however, that it had spread to a lymph node and had been sent to America for testing.