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Nicole Richie's altitude collapse

Apr 1, 2007, 11:00 GMT

02/29/2004 - Nicole Richie - Paris Hilton..when they were fatties © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

Nicole Richie has blamed her recent collapses on the set of 'The Simple Life' on high altitude.

The 25-year-old star - who was hospitalised for dehydration earlier this month and allegedly collapsed again on the set of her reality show two weeks ago - claims working in the mountains has put a strain on her health.

Her admission comes just a week after low blood sugar levels were blamed for her problems and it was announced she had been diagnosed with hypoglycaemia.

She said in an interview with Britain's OK! magazine: "The hours I'm doing are really crazy right now and we're working up in the mountains.

"I was getting my hair and make-up done one morning and I turned the heat up to 90 degrees, which I know I probably shouldn't have done - but I like it really hot in the room.

"I hadn't eaten breakfast and I asked for a bowl of cereal. But it had to go through 15 people to even get to me. I walked outside and I wasn't feeling myself."

A 'Simple Life' source said: "Four or five times she's felt really faint and almost passed out. She has to go into her trailer for a good part of the day."

Nicole, the adopted daughter of singer Lionel Richie, announced in October she was seeking treatment for an "inability to gain weight".

She is currently facing charges of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) after she was stopped by police in December for driving the wrong way on a California Highway. She admitted to police she had smoked marijuana and taken the strong painkiller Vicodin.

For the latest series of 'The Simple Life' she and close friend Paris Hilton, 26, are acting as camp counsellors.

(C) BANG Media International