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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Victoria Johns & David Kent

I'm A Celebrity campmates who are no longer with us new series returns to Virgin Media

I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! fans rejoiced on Sunday night as the iconic reality series returned to our screens on Virgin Media One.

Having first aired in 2002, nearly 400 episodes of the show have been broadcast, with over 200 famous faces chowing down on crocodile bits, jumping out of helicopters and sharing a bed with snakes and spiders.

Already, we've seen one contestant utter the iconic phrase, as Babatunde Aleshe couldn't hack a height trial on Sunday.

READ MORE: I'm A Celeb viewers in 'utter disbelief' after campmates shock exit from first trial of series

The show is a fan favourite, but sadly, some of the most popular contestants have passed away since the show's launch.

Along with our colleagues at the Mirror UK, we take a look back at some of the stars who have since left us.

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

The socialite and model appeared on the very first series alongside Tony Blackburn, Christine Hamilton and Darren Day.

She would finish runner up to Tony having aced all of her Bushtucker Trials.

Tragically, Tara passed away in February 2017, aged just 45, with her death treated as unexplained.

The star's sister later revealed that her cause of death was a peritonitis and a perforated ulcer.

A year earlier Tara been diagnosed with a prolactinoma, a benign tumour (adenoma) of the pituitary gland, revealing her illness in November of that year.

Freddie Starr

Comedian Freddie Starr appeared in the 2011 series of I'm A Celebrity, but withdrew from the competition due to health reasons after just two days in the jungle.

Comedian Freddie Starr suffered an allergic reaction just days into his jungle stint (ITV)

Explaining his exit, he said "I was sorry to hear the news about what the doctors said - that I was allergic to something, to play it safe and best for me not to go back in."

During his short stint on the show, the star wolfed down a fermented egg telling Ant and Dec he wasn't bothered by the smell.

Sadly, the comedian was found dead at his home in Spain, on May 9, 2019, aged 76. A post-mortem showed that he died from coronary artery disease.

David Gest

The ex-husband of Liza Minelli, David Gest, finished fourth on I'm A Celeb in 2006.

David Gest (ITV/Rex Features/PA.)

The American music producer kept his campmates rapt with his dry sensor of humour, particularly when talking abut his maid, Vaginica Seaman.

“Her mother loved her body part so much, that she decided if she had a girl, she was going to call her Vaginica,” David told the bemused jungle dwellers, before confirming: “No bull.”

David passed away, aged 62, in 2016 after suffering a stroke while in a hotel in London.

Eric Bristow

Darts world champion Eric Bristow came fourth in the 2012 series of I'm A Celebrity behind Charlie Brooks, David Haye and Ashley Roberts.

Five-time world darts champion Eric Bristow pictured in 2014 (Getty Images)

He was known on the show for predicting to his fellow campmates who would be leaving the show via public vote each night.

In April 2018, the 'Crafty Cockney' collapsed while attending a Premier League Darts event in Liverpool.

He had suffered a heart attack and died shortly after, with Sky viewers learning of the news live on air.

Bobby Ball

One half of comedy duo Cannon and Ball, Bobby took part in the 2005 series of I'm A Celeb.

Bobby tragically passed away amid Covid-19 complications in October 2020 at the age of 76.

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