At 72 years of age, Val Lehman is the oldest contestant on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
In last night’s episode, Val took on Bonnie Lythgow in a tug-of-war challenge, and gave her fellow cast-mates (and undoubtedly the production crew) a bit of a scare in the process.
Suspended on a platform 70 metres above a dam wall and spaced 100 metres apart, contestants (paired according to their physicality) pulled against each other.
Val and Bonnie faced off, each trying desperately to prove their strength and destabilise their opponent.
Somewhat unexpectedly (no offence, Val), Bonnie was defeated. But moments after her victory, Val took a turn for this worst.
“I’m going to be sick,” she said.
“She’s no good. Quick!” called Jo Beth. “Can we get medical?” asked Paul Harrigan. Val’s fellow contestants were clearly worried about her.
Medical staff quickly came to Val’s aid, and she was soon given the all clear.
Channel Ten’s head of factual and entertainment programing, Steven Tate told News.com.au today, “It was a combination of the temperature hitting 42C, 100m above the dam and Val’s adrenaline at beating Bonnie (Lythgoe), that caused her to have a bit of a turn.”
It was Val’s second challenge since being dropped in the jungle.
She took on the Creepy Callies tucker trial on Sunday night alongside Jo Beth ad Bonnie. The trio were covered in offal, maggots and over 40,00 creepy crawlies while attempting to answer questions from the other contestants.
They’re certainly not making any concessions for age in this jungle, are they?