George Stephanopoulos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ZpcVPS06Iendofvid

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By CHRIS JOHNSON

Flat out: Gillian McKeith fainted on live television last night after being nominated to take part in 'Unfairground'

Even the mere mere though of taking part in another bushtucker trial was too much for Gillian McKeith to stomach last night.

The food nutritionist dramatically collapsed on live television after being told by host Ant and Dec that the unforgiving public had voted for her to take part in a seventh unsavoury mission.
The dramatic scenes came after viewers earlier saw the 51-year-old reveal she was feeling 'mentally exhausted' after refusing to take part in her sixth bushtucker trial.

However some cynical viewers suggested her fainting episode was nothing more than a rouse to get out of doing the task.

Bad news: The nutritionist was nominated by the public for the seventh time for the special live task

One angry Twitter user, named Carlicles‎, tweeted: 'Gillian McKeith should be ashamed of that pathetic attempt at fainting.'

Medics were brought in as Gillian suffered the anxiety attack moments after being told of her fate on the live 'Unfairground' task last night.

Ant and Dec then cut to an ad break, revealing that McKeith had been excluded from the task on medical grounds.

Instead Linford Christie stepped up after receiving the second highest number of votes - and managed to win 12 out of a possible 13 stars.

Down: But moments after learning her fate she collapsed after suffering an anxiety attack

Aid: Medics rushed to her side and fitted an oxygen mask to her face before carrying her off

The Olympic runner made the mission look like child's play as he worked his way through a series of tasks which saw him covered in goo and jungle nasties.

Earlier in the show viewers saw McKeith become the first celebrity to refuse to take part in a bushtucker trial.

The nutritionist walked away from the Dreaded Digger trial - which was set to be recorded yesterday morning - after being told that green ants and cockroaches would be dropped on her head.

Struggling to cope: Earlier viewers saw her refuse to take part in her sixth bushtucker trial - the first time a celebrity has refused on the programme's history - seen here being comforted by Sheryl Gascoigne

No can do: The nutritionist walked away from the Dreaded Digger trial - which was set to be recorded yesterday morning - after being told that green ants and cockroaches would be dropped on her head

In order to win food for the camp she had to operate a heavy digger and use a magnet to pick up stars.

Jungle creatures would be dropped onto her from the roof of the vehicle as she went.
She told hosts Ant and Dec: 'It's just too much having things all over my head and my body and trying to move the thing all at the same time.

Stepping up: Linford Christie, who received the second highest number of viewer votes, took part in last night's live trial instead after Gillian's dramatic collapse

No problem: The Olympic star breezed through the Unfairground trial, which saw him covered in all manner of jungle nasties

'I feel exhausted, just mental exhaustion.'

Despite returning empty handed, Gillian received a round of applause from her camp mates when she finally arrived back at the base.

But in private, her fellow celebrities were less understanding.

Shaun Ryder said in the Bush Telegraph: 'Gillian basically gave up on the trial. Apparently she had to use a digger. No stars means f*** all.'

Take that: The sportsman takes part in 'fly circus' where he had to bite stars with his teeth and drop them out of the perspex container

No problem: Linford puts his hands inside clown mouths filled with green ants and spiders to collect stars

Gillian tried to redeem herself by cooking the evening's beans and rice.

She claimed that she had a method of soaking the bland food to make it more palatable but the show's cameras captured her sprinkling in salt that she appeared to have smuggled into the camp.

Meanwhile actor Nigel Havers was in bad sorts and being quite snappy with some of his fellow campers.

To make matters worse he discovered he had a tick nestling in to the back of his neck.

Dunked: Another part of the task saw him dunk his head in goo to remove stars

Unsavoury: He also had to search through maggots for another

'I’m telling you, it’s really getting to me,' he told former MP Lembit Opik. 'At least having a tick gives me something to do.'

Earlier Nigel had snapped at the one-time politician when he commented that the conversations in camp were interesting.

'No Lembit, they are not' snapped Nigel. 'They’re dull. That is the problem.'

Success: He managed to collect 12 out of 13 possible stars, meaning a hearty dinner for the campers

'It’s becoming endless. Every day is like a year. I can’t talk any small talk any more. I just can’t do any more of it.

'I’m up to here with bullshit. It’s the inane constant conversation. When I finally ever get out of here won’t be able to use my brain any more. I didn’t realise this isn’t really for me.'

Later in the show Sheryl Gascoigne and Lembit spent the night in jungle jail after losing a task which saw the contestants compete for immunity from facing elimination in the first eviction later this week.

Feeling the strain: Earlier in the show viewers saw a grumpy Nigel Havers awake to discover he had a tick in his neck with Linford here taking a look

Wanting out: The actor is becoming increasingly stressed out in his jungle surrounds and nearly quit the show

The task will be played out over the next three days with two celebs being sent to jail each time. By the end of the task one of the celebs will get another chance to win back their immunity meaning five contestants will face the public vote for elimination.

Each celebrity stood in a make-shift jungle courtroom, presided over by a stuffed kangaroo.

Every time a joey appeared out of the kangaroo’s pouch, the celebrities had to hammer their gavels on their blocks with the quickest person to react remaining safe.

In addition, the celebrities who didn’t win each received an electric shock each time.

Ouch: Linford and Stacey receive electric shocks at Kangaroo Court where they were playing to win immunity from this week's first eviction

Taking no prisoners, Brit Ekland raged at nervous Gillian: 'I’m perfectly fine with that. Listen if I can do it at my age, you can bloody do it.'

But the task tipped an already-grumpy Nigel over the edge. He said 'I’m not up for it. I’d hate to be locked up somewhere. I don’t do that. I don’t do electric shocks so I’m leaving' and with that he climbed out of his dock and walked off.

Dom commented:'Nigel is too near for cracking. I think this is it for Nigel,' but soon the actor returned and played the game.

Later on during a heart-to-heart, new recruit Alison Hammond told Nigel that she has been trying to lose weight recently.

Banged up: But it was Sheryl and former MP Lembit Opik who lost the challenge and were sent to Jungle Jail where they could now face the viewer vote later in the week

Uniform on: Sheryl gets changed into her prisoner attire after being locked up

'Do you like my big bra?' she asked as she rummaged through her underwear. 'I could bury myself in that. I could sleep in that' he joked.

She then told him that she didn’t think she would lose any weight in the jungle. 'You’d be surprised' replied Nigel.

'The thing is, when I don’t eat, it slows my metabolism and then I don’t burn as much off. So before (I tried to lose weight) I would eat no breakfast, lunch I might have a sandwich then I wouldn’t eat all day long and maybe at 10pm I’d have a Chinese and maybe a chocolate bar and then go to bed. So the body holds onto food.'

'Now I might have porridge or a boiled egg with some brown toast. At lunch I’ll have some salad and some chicken then before 6pm I’ll have a main meal, tuna, broccoli or said and all of a sudden my body gives me food.

'It’s hard when you get in a rut. It’s really hard to break it.'