Channel 4 doctors rush to help star as he suffers ‘horrendous’ health scare on air

‘s Tempting Fortune was thrown into chaos after a contestant suffered a terrifying health scare during filming. The survival-based reality show, presented by , follows twelve strangers as they trek through South Africa. However, the series, which returns on Sunday (March 16) has been hit with a twist as this time, contestants will be hiking across the jungles of Langkawi, Malaysia.

While average temperatures are in the high 20s year round, they can soar up to 40°C, making even basic tasks physically draining for the contestants to complete. With the competitors filming in extreme tropical heat, bosses were forced to bring in medics early in the series after contestant Ted, 58, began to show signs of heat exhaustion.

“During one of the first tasks the group noticed how Ted appeared to be struggling,” a source told The Sun. “The location used for filming can often hit up to 40 degrees celsius making conditions extreme and contestants didn’t have long to adjust to the climate.

They continued: “As they trekked through the forest Ted took ill and had to sit down, appearing disorientated at times. Tempting Fortune has a strict duty of care policy and a medical team intervened immediately and carried out a full evaluation on him.

“After checking his vitals and cooling him down, bosses cleared him to continue in the competition.”

Retired prison officer Ted opened up about the “horrendous” ordeal, admitting the conditions were brutal and unlike anything he’s ever experienced before.

“My temperature went completely sky high. I dehydrated. It was horrendous,” he told the publication. “It was really, really, tough you just needed more fluid. It was hard work.”

Ted described the humidity as a “killer”, adding: “By night two then, you know, it was absolutely boiling hot throughout the second day as well. I had to see the medic because I was feeling, you know, dizzy, dehydrated, not going to the toilet properly, but I was peeing a lot as well. So all the fluids were just going through me and not keeping any goodness inside my body.”

Paddy, 51, explained what viewers can expect from the new series, detailing the extreme conditions contestants had to endure for 18 days.

He told Channel 4: “It’s a different heat here. You hear about dry and wet heat. It’s a very wet heat in Langkawi. South Africa was a dry heat. Here, as soon as you move, your clothes are wet through – you’re just sweating.

“When you breath in the air, you feel the moisture. These are extreme conditions to be stuck in the jungle for 18 days.