This year, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is a completely different show to the one it has been for the past 19 seasons. With its landmark 20th outing, hosts Ant and Dec have travelled across the Welsh border to Gwrych Castle in Abergele along with 10 famous faces hoping to be crowned the first King or Queen of the Castle.
When it was revealed that the coronavirus pandemic was bringing filming plans across the world in Australia to a screeching halt, fans of the hit series wondered exactly how it could go ahead. Fortunately, producers at ITV worked with the Welsh government to ensure that the three-week season would still make it to broadcast.
Transforming Gwrych Castle into a prime location for filming, celebrities such as AJ Pritchard, Beverley Callard and Victoria Derbyshire have come together to take on some terrifying trials, with all of the regular critters we’re used to seeing coming along for the ride.
As good of a job as we think they’ve done however, what did the wider viewing public think? A million more tuned in compared to last year’s series; will they be sticking with the show?
Many were instantly impressed with Coronation Street legend Callard, despite his less-than-perfect performance in the first trial of the series:
Others felt sorry for Radio 1 DJ Jordan North, who vomited within five minutes of being shown on the screen, ahead of having to abseil down the side of a cliff to pick up their backpacks before moving into their new home.
Still, seeing his adverse response to the first challenge wasn’t enough to stop them from picking him to take on the second trial of the series, which went to a public vote.
North was revealed as one half of the duo taking on Viper Vault, with EastEnders icon Shane Richie also picked by the audience. The trial will see the two buried alive with snakes, but a preview of tonight’s episode hints that it may not even get started if North allows his fears to get the better of him:
Overall, the majority were excited to see I’m A Celeb back on screens despite the new location. Some were even more pumped than ever before, impressed that the country of Wales was getting an opportunity to shine on primetime television.
Whether or not that love will continue to grow as the series continues is yet to be seen, but having brought the regular formula from Australia to the Welsh valleys, we can’t see people rebelling against the format in droves.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly on ITV.
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