I’m a Celeb star treated at hospital in an hour and a half – despite reports of long waiting times

I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here‘s Richard Madeley shocked TV viewers by revealing he was in and out of a local hospital in an hour and a half after a thorough check.

The TV presenter said he had a funny turn in the early hours of last Thursday morning and was taken to hospital – most likely to the nearby Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

This month the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported how doctors sent a letter to NHS chiefs, revealing patients were dying in ambulances and waiting rooms at emergency departments at all three North Wales hospitals.

The doctors reported overcrowded emergency waiting rooms and some patients waiting 24 hours to be seen.

But when asked hypothetically about patient waiting times at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in reference to Richard’s Madeley’s apparent rapid treatment time, a spokeswoman for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board commented: “For patient confidentiality reasons, we are unable to confirm which hospital Richard was taken to or provide any detail on treatment or time spent in the hospital.”

According to the Welsh Government’s website, 54.8% of emergency department patients at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd spend less than four hours being seen.

69.8% of emergency department patients at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd spend less than eight hours being seen – and 78.3% less than 12 hours.

Speaking to I’m a Celeb presenters Ant and Dec last week, Richard Madeley said, “I feel as fit as a fiddle, and I am fit as a fiddle. And you know if it wasn’t for Covid, I’d be back there sort of eating rice and beans.

“I had to leave… it’s a Covid situation. It’s still biting our bums, isn’t it? What happened was I had just a funny little turn quite sort of late in the morning.

“So I went to the local hospital – I was only in there for about an hour and a half – I was given really thorough checks, and I was given a completely clean bill of health. I’m absolutely fine.”