Coronation Street Icon Bev Callard Details Harrowing Jungle Ordeal
Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard has exclusively revealed the terrifying trials she endured during her appearance on I'm A Celebrity... South Africa, before receiving her recent breast cancer diagnosis. The actress, famed for playing iconic landlady Liz McDonald, admitted producers showed no mercy despite her age.
Antique Plane Jump Leaves Grandma Terrified
Bev Callard, now 69, confessed she expected special treatment as one of the oldest contestants. "The trials were far more terrifying than I thought they would be," says Bev. "I did think because I was the second oldest person in there, that they'd be kind to me. It was just the opposite."
The soap star described being blindfolded and taken to an airstrip, only to discover the aircraft was shockingly outdated. "When they took the blindfold off the plane was a f***ing antique," she recalls. "I thought, 'No, they're not going to send anyone up in an aeroplane that's that old!' But they put me in it and took me up to 11,000 feet and then I had to jump out of it. I'm a grandma!"
Grueling Challenges and Campmate Dynamics
Bev's ordeal continued with multiple harrowing challenges:
- Being immersed in a tank with frightening creatures
- Dangling over a lake containing hippos and giant crocodiles
- Enduring the show's signature physical and mental tests
She competed alongside notable celebrities including former Corrie co-star Craig Charles, Olympic hero Sir Mo Farah, and football manager Harry Redknapp. Bev humorously noted that despite Mo Farah also jumping from a plane, "He screamed more than I did."
The experience took a toll on her appearance, with Bev admitting "My hair was a disaster. I looked like a Crufts champion the whole time I was in there." However, she embraced the opportunity to abandon her glamorous image, enjoying wearing track bottoms and no makeup.
Friendships Formed and Personal Clashes
Despite an initial personality clash on her first day, Bev developed strong bonds with her campmates. "It carried on for a little while and then we had a really honest conversation and ended up being good friends," she reveals.
The absence of phones fostered genuine connection among the group. "Rather than people conversing with their thumbs, which drives me insane, we were fighting to talk to each other and fighting to listen to each other," Bev explains. Their conversations ranged from vulgar humor to deeply emotional stories that brought both laughter and tears.
Cancer Diagnosis and Career Developments
Since filming concluded, Bev has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing treatment. She recently updated fans: "I haven't got the all clear... In three to four weeks I'll find out if it's gone into my lymph nodes." The actress remains positive despite the challenges, noting she has both good and difficult days.
Bev discovered she had cancer while filming Irish soap Fair City, where she plays Lily Patterson. She initially hesitated about joining another soap after leaving Coronation Street but now loves creating a new character. "I am just loving it, it's hard work but it's just brilliant to devise a whole new character," she says.
Regarding her Coronation Street legacy, Bev expressed shock that producers killed off Liz McDonald's ex-husband Jim, played by Charles Lawson. "I can't believe they did that. Jim should never have died," she states, confirming she remains in regular contact with Lawson.
Bev's journey through reality television challenges and health battles demonstrates her resilience and continued passion for acting, maintaining her status as one of British television's most beloved personalities.
