5 reasons I’m A Celebrity needs to be axed immediately

OPINION: I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! has been airing for more than two decades – and it’s about time ITV pulled the plug on it.

Ruby Wax is one of the stars in this year’s I’m A Celeb (Image: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)

If you are a regular ITV viewer, there is no avoiding all things I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! for the coming weeks as the show returned to screens yesterday evening (Sunday, November 16). As per usual, Geordie duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are fronting the reality series, which is set in Queensland, Australia, and a host of Z-listers (D-listers at best) have entered the jungle. In its early days, I found the show to be a brilliant watch. However, here are five reasons it needs to be taken off the ITV schedule immediately (in no particular order)…

The new series returned to ITV on Sunday night (Image: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)

1. All filler, no killer

There will be ad breaks, which feel like every five minutes, previews of upcoming episodes, and countless moments where the crew will “laugh” at Ant and Dec while they present, which feels more like filler than quality viewing content. I find Ant and Dec hilarious and really loveable, but are the cast and crew genuinely laughing at their gags – or are they made to for comedic effect? Perhaps the previews should be removed so that fans are kept guessing about the upcoming episode as well.

2. Ethical issues

Anyway, we’re all familiar with the format. The celebrities swap their luxurious lives for up to three weeks in a camp on rations, where they have to participate in challenges and Bushtucker Trials to win better meals for everyone. And let’s face it, there’s only one Trial people are actually invested in these days – the dreaded eating Trial.

However, I don’t personally agree with the eating challenge for ethical reasons. Still, it’s the only slightly entertaining one, albeit at the detriment of spiders, camels, sheep and whatever else is consumed for the show. However, the other challenges are dull in comparison, so I have no faith the eating trial will be canned if the series continues next year.

3. Dull casting

The chat around the camp is often equally unengaging (with the exception of David Gest’s incredible stories during his tenure on the programme). Sometimes you are waiting all evening for a bit of banter, a fallout or a funny moment, which often falls flat. Are celebrities more concerned about being liked than being authentic? There used to be romance, debates and hysterical pranks in the jungle many years ago.

4. Difficult timings

With so much to choose from, watching I’m A Celebrity most days of the week can feel like too big a commitment. Celebrity Traitors only aired a few times a week on BBC One over three weeks, and that format worked a treat with viewers who have hectic lives. Can I’m A Celebrity airtime not be cut down a little, so there are guaranteed entertaining scenes?

5. Unrelateable

Does anyone really want to hear celebrities complain about their lavish lives or see them cry over a letter from their families after being away for a couple of weeks during a cost-of-living crisis here in the UK? No. It’s all a bit dramatic and predictable.

It feels the stars who sign up for the show are in desperate need of a paycheque, and it’s nothing but a last resort to pay for a kitchen extension. What’s more, there aren’t any real celebrities left to appear on the show, so either the name of the show needs to be changed to remove the word ‘celebrity’, or the entire programme needs to be axed.