Former I'm A Celebrity star Kieron Dyer has revealed he needs an urgent liver transplant after being diagnosed with a rare disease.
Kieron Dyer, who appeared in the 2015 series, announced on Sunday morning that he has been diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare condition that attacks the bile ducts and can leave them scarred.
What is primary sclerosing cholangitis?
In PSC, your bile ducts narrow until bile backs up into your liver and starts to damage it. Bile is an important digestive juice that you need to break down fats. If bile is allowed to build up over time, it can cause cirrhosis of the liver.
Symptoms of PSC include extreme fatigue, stomach pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes, itchy skin and chills caused by infections.
Kieron Dyer liver transplant
On Sunday, Ipswich Town, where Kieron works as under-23 manager, confirmed his diagnosis, saying in a statement: "The club can confirm Town U23 manager Kieron Dyer has been diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
"Kieron has been managing problems with his liver for the past couple of years, and now requires a transplant."
I'm A Celebrity star Kieron added in the statement: "Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with a condition of the liver a couple of years ago, that would lead to me one day needing a transplant.
"Over the next week, test results will confirm when I need to go through this procedure.
"I see myself as a very positive person that will overcome this minor setback."
He added: "I'm very grateful to the Club, the supporters and the general public for their messages of support over the past week.
"I would like to ask everyone now to respect my privacy, and my family's privacy."
Former England and West Ham footballer Kieron Dyer had been taken to hospital earlier this week to undergo tests to determine the cause of recent health problems.
Kieron's need for a liver transplant comes just months after he suffered a collapsed lung on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
