I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! presenter Declan Donnelly was rushed to medics in the jungle, leaving co-star Ant McPartlin worried

Declan Donnelly, famously known as Dec, of the presenting duo Ant and Dec, experienced a close encounter with the local wildlife while filming I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in the Australian jungle after being bitten by a spider.

The 49-year-old was swiftly attended to by medics backstage at the ITV show to ensure that the arachnid hadn’t injected any venom.

Recounting the backstage drama on an Instagram Live session, his co-host Ant McPartlin revealed: “We’ve had quite a lot of drama not only on the show but off the show as well because Dec had a spider on his neck and was bitten by a spider and the medic was called in to have a look.”

Ant shared with viewers how the spider appeared unexpectedly on a script before making its way onto Dec’s neck, reports the Express.

Ant and Dec shared a statement on an Instagram Live (Image: ITV)

espite the scare, Dec managed to joke about the ordeal, saying: “The medic said I was lucky to be alive. If I wasn’t so fit and healthy and masculine, I might not have survived.”

Not missing a beat, Ant responded jokingly: “No, she didn’t. She said it was a jumping spider, and it was absolutely fine.”

Fortunately for Dec and fans of the show, jumping spider bites, although infrequent, aren’t dangerous and do not contain venom. Symptoms can, however, include minor redness, irritation, stinging or swelling.

Dec got bitten by a spider and was seen to by medics
Known for their extraordinary leaping abilities, jumping spiders can vault 10 to 40 times their body length. They are just one among approximately 10,000 species of spiders found throughout Australia.

This isn’t the first time medical intervention has been needed on the set this year; medics previously made a dash to help Tulisa Contostavlos during a trial, though the incident wasn’t broadcast.

N-Dubz star Tulisa was left frantic during a trial when she believed a bug had crawled into her ear, prompting medics to rush to her aid.

A source revealed to The Sun: “Mid-way through the trial, the show medics rushed in to help. Tulisa was convinced something was in her ear, she wasn’t sure if it was a cockroach, cricket, or fly and had to have a syringe wash. She carried on after that, but she was horrified.”

In other camp news, Dean McCullough has alleged that a bout of trench foot is sweeping through the damp campsite.

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! airs daily at 9pm on ITV.