Declan Donnelly has joked Holly Willoughby was “worse than Gillian McKeith” as she attempted a watered-down Bushtucker trial during her send-off from This Morning.

Willoughby, who is joining Donnelly as the co-host of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, made her final appearance on the ITV daytime show before heading to Australia.

She squealed her way through the challenge, which involved her putting her hands into boxes to feel mystery items inside, including a remote-controlled spider and kittens, a far cry from I’m A Celebrity’s critter-filled tasks.

Comparing her to 2010 contestant McKeith, who was known for avoiding Bushtucker trials, Donnelly tweeted: “Just watched @Schofe put @hollywills through a #BushtuckerTrial on @thismorning. She was worse than Gillian McKeith!

“What the heck are we in for!? #ImACeleb.”

Willoughby’s This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield, who often mocks her for being scared too easily, introduced the task.

Nervous but laughing, Willoughby said: “I don’t think I can do this, honestly, I think I’m going to cry.

“I actually don’t know how the celebrities do this, I’m a little bit worried standing behind these boxes.

“I’m going to tell them ‘you don’t have to do this, they won’t starve you, they don’t let you die, it’s a telly show, don’t feel the pressure’.”

Schofield said: “On behalf of the production team, they will say ‘please don’t do that’.”

She put her hands into the first box, which viewers could see contained a large remote-controlled spider, and she screeched as it moved under her hands.

“Oh God, I don’t like it, I don’t like it,” she said.

After learning it was a toy, she said: “I’ve got such a sweat on.”

The second box had three kittens inside, which she initially thought could be rats.

The third box saw last year’s I’m A Celebrity champion Georgia Toffolo crouch down so Willoughby could feel her head.

After the task, she was given a box of treats including Marmite and crumpets by Schofield.

Willoughby said: “I’m going to miss you all so much and I’ll be back soon. It won’t be long.”

She was confirmed in August as joining Donnelly on the reality series to replace Ant McPartlin, who has hosted the programme with his presenting partner since it began in 2002.

McPartlin previously announced he was stepping back from TV commitments and public appearances following a drink-driving conviction.

He was banned from the road for 20 months and fined £86,000.

Rochelle Humes will take Willoughby’s place on This Morning in her absence.