I'm A Celeb star in hospital dash hours before jetting off to Australia as show dealt blow

Sam Thompson says Pete Wicks will have brief break from training

TV star Sam Thompson is now taking the lead as the host of ITV's spin-off show, I'm A Celebrity Unpacked, broadcasting live from the Australian jungle camp.

To tackle the challenges of his rigorous filming schedule, which requires him to record according to UK time rather than local daylight, Sam has proactively sought assistance from his doctor for sleeping pills.

In the latest episode of his podcast, Staying Relevant, he confidently addressed his difficulties with maintaining a healthy sleep cycle.

He said: "The timings are pretty awkward because we are live in UK time. So we go to bed at 4pm every day in Australia and wake up at midnight."

I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! starts this week. (Image: ITV)

"Which is going to be wild."

His podcast co-host Pete Wicks agreed and added: "Yeah you're going to be all over the shop, and you don't cope well with change," as Sam agreed: "I really don't."

Pete - who is competing on Strictly this year - continued: "You don't cope well with change and what Sam said to me when he told me this last week is 'I've just been to the doctor and I've got 24 sleeping pills.'"

Sam giggled and said: "Just in case."

Sam Thompson shared he had obtained sleeping pills from the doctos. (Image: Getty)

Pete continued: "That was the first thing you did; he literally came out of the meeting with ITV or off the phone and went straight to the doctor and said, 'I need pills.'"

"Sam has also come in this morning, and he's flying to Australia next week and said, 'What are cataracts?"

Sam went on to say he had a "weird sensation" in his eye and Pete joked he would be spending all of his time worrying about health issues.

Pete then suggested Sam "doesn't do well on his own" before he admitted he would be going running with Joel Dommett after each spin off show.

Meanwhile, Sam's girlfriend Zara will not join Sam during his stint Down Under for the I’m A Celebrity spin-off show as she begins filming her latest BBC documentary about stalking.

The Love Island star, 27, is exploring the impact of stalking over two episodes filmed in real time so she has to be available at all times and cannot travel to Australia.

She was unable to join her boyfriend of five years last year when he won the show because she was competing on Strictly Come Dancing with her now-disgraced partner, Graziano Di Prima.

Zara McDermott: Stalked begins filming tomorrow when she will be meeting and spending time with those currently being subjected to the behaviour and seeing how stalking affects lives.