Welcome back to the new series of I’m A Celebrity, Have You Heard Of Me? – also known as You’re A Celebrity? Get Out Of Here! Now in its 23rd year, ITV’s former big-hitter has lost half its 2002 audience and all of its shock value. Viewers know exactly what’s in store – relentless wind-breaking, insect torture, and name-dropping, along with tedious eating trials that come with animal genitalia, feeble puns, and repulsive retching.The biggest surprise on Day One was that the celebs were astonished to learn they had to arrive by parachute. Had they never watched the show before? Contestants have been jumping in in tandem with trained parachutists ever since the producers nicked the idea from ITV’s flop format Drop! The Celebrity (itself dropped for poor ratings after two series more than 20 years ago).
This year’s bookings mixed the genuinely famous (Martin Kemp, soap stars Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley, EastEnders’ Shona McGarty, professional irritant, Ruby Wax etc) with people who must have had the show’s natural audience reaching for Google. No wonder the show is said to have its lowest figures yet, with just 4.5million viewers tuning in earlier this week, millions down on previous years.
Step forward Angryginge (an online streamer, m’lud, and not as suspected Angela Rayner), rapper Aitch, and self-styled comedian Eddie Kadi who won’t be stealing Eddie Murphy’s crown any time soon.
