'I was heartbroken': I'm A Celebrity's Jamie Lomas reveals his close pal passed away the DAY he entered jungle... but he didn't learn of the devastating news until leaving show

Published: 14:01 GMT, 18 December 2017 | Updated: 16:57 GMT, 18 December 2017

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While he competed on the latest season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, he was unaware that his daughter Polly, six, was struck with Croup.

But upon being told of his beloved offspring's bout - from which she soon recovered, Jamie Lomas was hit with the devastating news that his close pal, popular sports agent Gary Lloyd, had passed away on the very day he entered the Australian jungle.

Speaking on Wednesday's instalment of ITV's Loose Women, the 42-year-old actor looked downcast as he revealed: 'One of my close friends passed away the day I went into the jungle. He was a top, top man. They tried to contact me in the jungle, but because he wasn’t immediate family they couldn't tell me.'

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Devastating news: Jamie Lomas has revealed that one of his close pals died on the day he started shooting I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, but he only learned of it weeks later

RIP: Gary Lloyd (above) was a popular football agent, who passed away aged 47 after falling down the stairs at his home in Worsley, on November 18

Speaking about how he came to eventually learn of the 47-year-old father-of-one's death, he said: 'I came out [of the jungle] and they had this WhatsApp group called Gary Lloyd Tribute. He was a bit of a wind-up, so I didn't pay attention to it at first.'

'Then there was a flood of messages coming in. I just read it and it was heartbreaking,' added the star, whose friend is set to be buried on Wednesday.

The football agent tragically passed away aged 47, after falling down the stairs at his home in Worsley, on November 18.

Shocking: The star, who came runner-up to Georgia Toffolo, said he only found out about his pal's passing after leaving I'm A Celeb (above) and reading through a WhatsApp group

Disbelief: He said: 'I came out [of the jungle] and they had this WhatsApp group called Gary Lloyd Tribute. He was a bit of a wind-up, so I didn't pay attention to it at first'

Lloyd enjoyed a successful career representing sports and entertainment stars across the North West, working with players at Bury and Rochdale.

Gary was well known in the industry - with messages of condolences immediately flooding in from a number of footballers.

Ryan Giggs, who became friends with Gary in his youth, said: 'We were childhood friends of Gary's and we are shocked and saddened by the news.

'We want to send our condolences to his mum, dad and daughter Havana. He was a doting father.

Heartbreak: 'Then there was a flood of messages coming in. I just read it and it was heartbreaking,' added the star, whose friend is set to be buried on Wednesday

In memory: Lloyd (above) enjoyed a successful career representing sports and entertainment stars across the North West, working with players at Bury and Rochdale

Tribute: Ryan Giggs also paid tribute to the football agent after his tragic death, writing: ''We were childhood friends of Gary's and we are shocked and saddened by the news'

'As Reds, we used to go and watch football matches together and we will miss you so much Lloydy.'

Gary is understood to have been a regular at George’s restaurant in his home town of Worsley, owned by Ryan and his pals Bernie Taylor and Kelvin Gregory.

Rochdale Football Club called him 'a loveable character with an infectious smile', while a representative for Bury said Gary 'quickly became everyone's best friend' during his time at the club.

Jamie, who was runner-up to Georgia Toffolo on I'm A Celeb, was also faced with the news that his daughter with ex Kym Marsh was recently rushed up hospital 'gasping for breath' after being struck with Croup.

Devastating: Jamie openly discussed his grief on the show, calling Gary a 'top, top man'

Difficult: He also revealed he was not allowed to be told during his time in the jungle, as Gary had not been immediate family

However, she soon made a full recovery, looking happy and healthy as she attended a Winter Wonderland bash with her mother at Manchester's Event City last Monday.

The Coronation Street actress, 41, posed proudly with the fighting fit youngster - who also got to reunite with her doting dad Jamie after his three-week stint away.

Kym revealed she took Polly straight to Salford Royal Hospital when she was left 'gasping for air' at her family home.

Recalling the 'terrifying' incident, Kym divulged she 'couldn't sleep' in her OK! magazine column when doctors revealed her daughter was suffering from Croup.

Daddy's girl: Also while he was in the jungle, his daughter Polly, six, was rushed to hospital after being struck with Croup

Croup is a respiratory infection that is usually caused by a virus, the infection leads to swelling in the windpipe and as a result, it interferes with normal breathing.

'On Wednesday night at 11.30pm, Polly just started gasping for breath,' the Corrie beauty recalled of the incident.

'I had to rush her over to Salford Royal Hospital. It turned out she'd got Croup. It's something that children of the age of three can get but Polly is six.

'It was horrible and her cough sounded like she was a sea lion. I didn't get to bed until 5am and even then I couldn't sleep. The staff put Polly at ease because she was terrified. It was really horrible to see.'

Fighting fit: However, it was clear that she'd recovered, as she was spotted looking healthy and happy as she and her mother Kym Marsh attended an event in Manchester last week

The doctors sent Kym and Polly home with a course of steroids to tackle the Croup and she is said to be on the mend now.

Polly's dad Jamie was not told about her health scare because he was competing on I'm A Celebrity.

The handsome screen star reportedly had no idea about the incident as it happened while he is in the Australian jungle.

'He hasn't been told while he's in the jungle,' a source told The Sun. 'Because it happened while Jamie was in the jungle, it's not something he'd know about.'

Family affair: They were joined by the actress' two other children - Emily, 19, and David, 22, from her past relationship with Dave Runcliffe

Jamie is single and ready for a new love, just three years following his divorce from Kym in 2014.

The former flames first went public with their relationship back in July 2008 after the Corrie beauty had divorced her first ex husband Jack Ryder.

The showbiz couple, who share the six-year-old, decided to tie the knot in a romantic ceremony in 2012 and ahead of the lavish celebration Kym gushed about her excitement in an interview.

The singer said at the time: 'All we know is that we're very much in love and looking forward to the day when we finally get married.'