Liverpool-born Coronation Street star Craig Charles has left ITV hit show ‘I’m a Celebrity’ after being told about the death of his elder brother, Dean.
The Scouse actor and DJ was informed of the sad news by programme producers in Australia when he woke up in the jungle on Thursday and 50-year-old Charles decided to fly home to join his grieving relatives.
Show chiefs made the decision to wait until morning to tell Charles rather than scare him by waking him up in the middle of the night.
Former policeman and father-of-two Dean, who had owned a bar in Spain named after his brother’s Red Dwarf character, Lister, is believed to have died of a heart attack on Tuesday evening.
Craig grew up with Dean and younger brother, Emile, on Liverpool’s Cantril Farm estate.
An ITV spokesperson released a statement, saying: “Craig decided to leave the I’m A Celebrity camp earlier today and will be heading back to his family the UK.
“We send our sincere condolences to Craig and his family.”