Comedian Mel Buttle QUITS I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

Mel Buttle became the first contestant to leave I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! during Wednesday’s episode.

In emotional scenes, the 38-year-old comedian sensationally quit the show after co-star Pettifleur Berenger spotted a snake near their campsite.

Breaking down in tears, Mel revealed she had ‘a huge phobia of snakes’, and had been struggling ever since Pettifleur’s sighting.   

‘I’m not even afraid that they’re gonna bite me. It’s not that. It’s the image of them. And it’s of even a photo of them,’ she began. 

‘And I wanted to try and come here and see how long… how well I would go. And then today, with Pettifleur, I have been losing my mind all day.’

She added: ‘I feel like s**t, doing this. But I… I, um, I have to go, unfortunately.’

Her emotional announcement left her co-stars stunned but sympathetic about her decision to quit the show.

‘It was a big shock to know that somebody was struggling so much that they had to pull the ripcord, when she knew that she just couldn’t override it,’ said Grant Denyer.

After growing close to retired Australian rules footballer Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPierdomenico, Mel felt the need to apologise for her departure.

‘No, don’t be sorry. No way! There’s no right or wrong here… We’ll never understand what you go through,’ the 62-year-old reassured her.

Maintaining her sense of humour, Mel added: ‘I know I’m gonna regret it… But I can always go on Bachelor in Paradise.’

As she said her goodbyes, Mel confessed she was worried she was going to be replaced on the show by ‘some d**khead’.