Why can’t Harry Redknapp smell? I’m A Celebrity star’s horrific accident explained

Football manager Harry Redknapp survived a horrific 1990 minibush crash in Italy that killed AFC Bournemouth managing director Brian Tiler and three Italian soldiers

Harry Redknapp narrowly escaped death following a horrific crash(Image: ITV)

Harry Redknapp narrowly escaped death following a horrific crash that robbed him of his sense of smell.

The former football manager is currently on our screens competing to become an I’m A Celebrity Legend.

Harry entered camp as a late arrival alongside Jimmy Bullard earlier this week and the pair went head-to-head in a gruelling Bushtucker Trial during Wednesday’s (April 15) episode.

During the grim eating challenge, Harry revealed he had no sense of smell, which worked as an advantage, but he was later beaten by Jimmy.

Harry has previously recounted how he was travelling to watch the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy alongside a number of other figures from the sporting world when disaster struck.

The former football manager is currently on our screens competing to become an I’m A Celebrity Legend(Image: ITV)

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He was accompanied by three others when their minibus collided with a vehicle carrying three Italian soldiers.

Harry would ordinarily occupy a particular seat in the vehicle, but on that occasion AFC Bournemouth managing director Brian Tiler chose to sit in the same spot. In the devastating collision, Brian was killed along with the three soldiers.

Harry was drenched in petrol and, amongst numerous other injuries, sustained a fractured skull, a broken nose and cracked ribs. He made a complete recovery, though permanently lost his sense of smell.

Harry made a complete recovery following the crash, though permanently lost his sense of smell(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)

Reflecting on the incident, he said: “The doctors, I’m told, also thought I was dead upon arrival at the hospital. But I was lucky.

“I had fractured my skull, broken several bones, and suffered a horrific gash to my leg, but I don’t think the injuries, though serious, were ever life-threatening, despite those first impressions.”, reports the Mirror.

During his previous appearance on I’m A Celebrity, Harry volunteered for toilet duty given that his lack of smell meant it posed no issue for him.

During his previous appearance on I’m A Celebrity, Harry volunteered for toilet duty given that his lack of smell(Image: ITV)

In conversation with John Barrowman, he remarked: “It’s not a problem for me, I’ll go and do it. I’ve got no sense of smell, I can’t smell anything.

“Clearing the dunny out is the easiest job in the world for me.” John tackled the dunny duties alongside Harry and later confided to the Bush Telegraph: “Harry doesn’t have any sense of smell, so Harry is the perfect one to do the dunny – just don’t look in!”

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa is available to stream on ITVX and continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and STV