A former I'm a Celebrity contestant has filed a legal claim against ITV after sustaining serious injuries to her face during filming.
Janice Dickinson has sued the television network for £700k after suggesting that her face was 'permanently altered' following an accident on set, as she appeared in the 2023 all-star series filmed in South Africa.
It's easy to comprehend why certain contestants from the ITV show over the years might well regret their time in the jungle, or Welsh castle, if they appeared during the two seasons affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
After all, they are made to put their celebrity status to the side and chow down on creepy crawlies or cover themselves in goo in the hope of winning over the public vote.
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The likes of Nigel Farage and Matt Hancock did little for their public image despite being nominated for nearly every challenge during their time on the show, something which inspired a rule change on the latest series which saw Angry Ginge claim the crown late last year.
But despite the show playing up the drama wherever possible, the contestants are always looked after by a team of medical experts, as we memorably saw when Gillian McKeith tragically 'fainted' when she was nominated to do a task back in 2010.
However, it was an incident away from the cameras which Dickinson now claims had a life-changing impact, as the American model suggests that she suffered permanent facial scarring, deformity and nerve damage which doctors apparently cannot correct.
As a result, the 70-year-old has now launched the money-spinning lawsuit against ITV's bosses, with an inside source telling the Mirror: "Janice has been at the forefront of modelling for decades and has been the face of Chanel, Dior and Gianni Versace. The trauma she suffered is a devastating blow."
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The injuries occurred when Janice tripped and fell on her face while in the dark, and she believes that ITV are legally liable after a medic gave her sleep medication that night.
The medication reportedly causes drowsiness and impaired balance, something which she feels contributed to her nasty fall, which saw her leave the show early.
After it was filed by the law firm Taylor Hampton at London's High Court recently, ITV have now responded to suggest that they remember a different version of events.
An ITV spokesman told the Daily Mail: "Janice Dickinson's letter of claim has been received and reviewed. IAC operates a high level of safety protocols and the health, safety and welfare of all of our contributors are our number one priority.
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"We don't recognise this version of events. However, we looked after Janice at the time, paid her medical expenses, flew her home to LA, and the I'm A Celebrity team were in regular contact with Janice and her representatives on an ongoing basis after she returned home to America until after the programme aired seven months later."
Janice's representative Dermot McNamara said: "Janice is fully committed to this legal process and seeing it through to its conclusion. She looks forward to unpacking ITV's response."
Topics: Celebrity News, ITV, Im A Celebrity
James Moorhouse