Anne Hegerty was ruled out of so many ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ Bushtucker Trials because the show’s psychologist "freaked out" that she might not be able to cope.
The ‘Chase’ quizzer was "surprised" she was ruled out of numerous creepy crawly challenges on "medical grounds" after exiting her first trial early, but says the programme’s psychologist threatened to pull her out of the series if she pushed herself "beyond her limits".
The 60-year-old star – who lasted 18 days in the Australian jungle – said: "I’ve shown a more pathetic side [to myself]. I was a bit surprised that I kept being ruled out on medical grounds.
"What that was actually about was there is a psychologist attached to the programme.
"She got very freaked out by how upset I was by the first trial and basically she kept saying, ‘I don’t want Anne doing this again until she’s recovered.’
"She said to me before I did the second trial, ‘You are absolutely not to push yourself beyond your limits.’
"But I said, ‘I don’t want to let people down.’ She was like, ‘Shut up, stop talking about not letting people down. If you push yourself beyond your limits I’m going to pull you out of the jungle and we will be having the next conversation in a hotel.’ "
Anne – who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in 2005 – insists she was "totally up for" appearing in the show before entering the jungle, only for her to break down in tears on the opening night of series 18 as she and her fellow celebrities rocked up in camp.
But she is pleased she took part in the show, and is glad people now approach her to congratulate her for ‘I’m A Celebrity’ rather than for being "really clever" on ‘The Chase’ all the time.
Speaking on ‘Good Morning Britain’, she added: "What I’ve been getting most of over the last three weeks or so is people slapping me on the back and saying, ‘Loved you in the jungle,’ rather than people being clever and saying, ‘Oh, you’re really clever aren’t you?’ "
Anne Hegerty was issued I’m A Celebrity exit warning by psychologist
