EXCLUSIVE: 'He's been shot at, he's been blown up... he WON'T quit': Michael Buerk's wife insists he won't bow out of I'm A Celeb... despite living on 500 calories a day

It has been claimed that veteran newscaster Michael Buerk could be the third star to walk out of the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle.

But the 68-year-old’s wife, Christine Buerk, has insisted that it will take more than a low calorie diet to make her husband bow out of the show early.

Speaking from Australia, Christine revealed that she felt viewers may have forgotten that Michael has been in worse environments during his career.

Sipping a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in honour of her husband while she lounged in the lobby of the Palazzo Versace, Christine said: 'Michael isn’t a quitter. I don’t see him walking out. He’s been in worse places.

‘He’s been shot at, he’s been gassed, he’s been blown up in an ammunition dump explosion, he’s seen a sound guy die, he’s seen a cameraman lose his arm.'

She continued: ‘He’s been in real reality situations that have been very tough. I would be really, really surprised if he broke.’

Christine admitted that the jungle is a testing situation but stood up for her spouse as she said: ‘It’s a strange environment, but he’s worked in all types of environments in the past.

‘He was a foreign correspondent for many years and a lot of people only seem to remember him presenting the news – but he was out in the field for years before he did the presentation job. He’s been in a lot of tough places.’ 

Christine played down talk that Michael is struggling with the small food portions as she joked: ‘Michael actually loves rice and beans. I was quite horrified to realise that they only get 500 calories a day in the jungle.

She added: ‘It’s not that he dislikes rice and beans, but the rations are quite low. They don’t get a massive amount of rice and beans, but thankfully he likes rice and beans.'

His caring wife revealed she had been concerned to see his gaunt frame along with viewers but she pointed out: ‘He was quite slim when he arrived. I was trying to encourage him to build up before coming out here, which he didn’t do.

‘He’s not got a lot of spare flesh on him, but he’s in good shape. I think it’s far, far healthier to be a little bit underweight than overweight.’

She insisted that his appearance has not changed too drastically in his time in jungle as she said: ‘I don’t think there’s a massive difference. I’ve been quite amused by some of the Tweets actually. They’ve said things like, “Get your top back on, Michael!”’

Christine admitted that it took Michael some time to truly get involved in the show as she said: ‘At the beginning, I thought he was rather quiet and subdued – but I think he’s really got into it now.

‘They’ve done group tasks as a team. They’ve had to work things out together as a group and use a bit of logic, which is really his bag, so I think he’s getting into a lot more now.

She then joked: ‘He does look a bit glum in there, though. With only 500 calories a day, they haven’t got enough energy to smile as well.’

When asked what it would take to make her husband quit, she answered: ‘I’m sure he’d walk if somebody died, like with Craig [Charles]. That was so awful. I can’t imagine anything else making him walk.’

Sharing her thoughts on how he would react to being the first person evicted, Christine explained: ‘To me, that’s the rather clever situation to be in because that means you get to spend more time at the hotel. It’s a win/win situation.

‘But he’s quite competitive. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the first out.’