Entertainment
I’m A Celeb planning ‘secret all-stars summer show in South Africa’ ahead of planned return to AustraliaCharlotte Manning
There’s nothing stopping IAC in 2022… (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
ITV is reportedly planning to film a reserve two-week-long series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! this summer, in addition to the usual series.
The hit reality show has been on for nearly 20 years, with Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly remaining at the helm for nearly all of that time.
But like pretty much every popular programme on the box, it was affected by the Covid outbreak and moved to Wales for two years.
With the hosts – and everyone else – keen for it to return to Australia it is claimed the broadcaster is making backup plans in the event this can’t happen in the winter.
It’s thought this would be recorded in South Africa in July and either be shown in November if plans for filming the live series in Australia fall through if Covid restrictions are reinstated in the winter.
Alternatively, ITV would plan to keep this on hold for broadcast in early 2023, in the event it’s not needed.
Ant and Dec have hosted the show in Wales for the last 2 years (Picture: PA)
‘This is a brilliant reserve plan in case Covid restrictions come round again in the Autumn and the cast and crew can’t get Down Under, as has happened for the past two years.
‘There is no appetite to go back to Wales. It was great while it lasted but it’s just too dark and damp. Everyone’s had enough, including the viewers,’ an insider shared.
‘We need sun and new challenges. If we can get back to Australia – fantastic. Then South Africa would air early next year.
‘Aussie authorities are pretty tough when it comes to Covid lockdowns and restrictions. If we can’t go, we’ll have this one ready for autumn, to air ahead of the World Cup. It’s a solid plan B, a win-win,’ the source added to The Mirror.
Danny Miller won the latest series (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It comes after it was recently reported the show could in fact end up in Wales for the third year running, despite Ant and Dec previously revealing plans for an Australian comeback.
Last week, it was reported that custodians of the castle ‘have applied for approval to keep the temporary structures built by crew for another year’.
But in March, Rosemary Newell, ITV’s Director of Content, confirmed I’m A Celebrity would finally be returning to its longtime home.
‘We expect a celebrity to return in Australia in November when it will generate an audience of over 11 million,’ Newell said.
In 2020 and 2021, both series took place at the freezing Gwrych Castle, in north Wales.
It was a back-to-back win for soap stars, with former EastEnders star Jac Jossa becoming Queen of the Castle in 2020, with Emmerdale’s Danny Miller following suit a year later.
Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment on the reports.
More to follow.
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