ITV Confirm Major I’m A Celeb Changes This Year

It’s official - I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will go ahead this year - but not in Australia. This Friday, ITV confirmed that it would not be possible for the show to be filmed in the Murwillumbah jungle - and that the show would instead be made in a ruined castle in the British countryside.

ITV Director of Television Kevin Lygo said:

We announced last week that we were doing all we could to make the series and I'm thrilled that we can bring the show to viewers albeit not in the jungle. We have a great team both on and off screen and I know they will produce a hugely entertaining series.

Meanwhile, Director of Entertainment Richard Cowles promised an exciting series nonetheless, saying:

While it will certainly be different producing the show from the UK, the same tone and feel will remain. Our celebrities will probably have to swap shorts for thermals but they can still look forward to a basic diet of rice and beans and plenty of thrills and surprises along the way.

Ant and Dec are still set to present the show live every evening - but for the first time ever they’ll be in the same time zone as the viewers - meaning they’ll be spared the early morning wake up call they’ve had for the last nineteen series. Amongst the stars rumoured to be battling it out to be the first ever King or Queen of the Castle are ex-Strictly dancer AJ Pritchard, presenter Vernon Kay and EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite.

It's a particular shame that this series can't go ahead as usual - as it will mark the 20th series of the show, which first aired back in 2002. However, if you're worried about missing the jungle and all its critters, ITV are also preparing a best-of show entitled I'm A Celebrity: A Jungle Story, which will look back on the best jungle moments from over the years.