As I’m A Celebrity’s Annabel Giles passes away, stars who have sadly died include Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

I’m A Celebrity’s Annabel Giles recently passed away aged 64 following a battle with ‘aggressive’ brain tumour. Unfortunately, Annabel who appeared on I’m A Celebrity back in 2013, is not the only campmate who has sadly died in recent years. Socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson appeared in the first-ever series of I’m A Celebrity and nearly won became ‘Queen of the Jungle’, but lost out to Tony Blackburn. 

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson died in February 2017 at the age of 45 and her family released a statement which said that she  had “died peacefully in her sleep due to a perforated ulcer and peritonitis.” The statement also said “Those that knew and were close to Tara knew that there was no retreat to a ‘dark place’ as some have disappointingly sought to suggest. In the last few weeks Tara was happy, positive and making plans for when she recovered her health.”

Comic Bobby Ball, who appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2005, passed away due to COVID-19 complications in October 2020. Best known for being part of the Cannon and Ball duo, Bobby was 76 at the time of his passing. "Rock on, my good friend, I can't believe this, I'm devastated." said Tommy Cannon, his colleague and friend. “I will always miss him, he was so joyful, full of fun and mischievous,” said his wife Yvonne.

David Gest who appeared on I’m A Celebrity back in 2006, passed away in London in 2016 after suffering from a stroke. The reality star and music producer, who was briefly married to Liza Minnelli  and also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, was found dead in a London hotel. His friend Imad Handi said “It is with great sadness that I can confirm that David Gest has died today. David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend but a showbiz icon. I know he will be missed by millions of fans around the world, and particularly in Britain, who came to love his charm and blistering one-liners.”

Former darts player Eric Bristow, who came fourth in the 2012 series of I’m A Celebrity, died of a heart attack in 2019. At the time of his death, Eric was visiting a Premier League Darts event in Liverpool and fellow darts player Bobby George recalled that “In the afternoon, I was doing a show at a pub opposite the Premier League (darts) building and he just came in, said ‘Hello’ and had a pint, then said, ‘See ya, I said, ‘See ya’ because I was working… he went across the road and two-and half hours later, he was gone.”

Comedian Freddie Star appeared on I’m A Celebrity back in 2011 and died in Spain in 2019 from heart disease. He unfortunately had to leave the show in 2011 because he suffered an allergic reaction. At the time, he said that “I was sick not to finish the show. I wanted to be there until the very end but there’s no use crying over spilt milk. The decision has been made and I have to live with it.”