I’m A Celeb South Africa launch breaks ITV records with 4.9m viewers
I’m A Celebrity South Africa launched this year with ITV’s largest weekday audience, peaking at 4.9 million TV viewers and averaging 4.3 million TV viewers.
This is also the highest TV rating for any channel this year in Monday’s 9pm slot. It’s also more than double its year over year slot, up by over 2 million viewers
The program also attracted a 55% share of 16-34 year olds, which is ITV1’s largest weekday 16-34 audience.
The news comes despite I’m A Celebrity fans all having had the same complaint about the South African spin-off hit ITV viewer screens labeled it ‘wrong’.
The show was pre-recorded in South Africa’s Kruger National Park last year and the first episode aired on Monday.
It’s back! The launch of I’m A Celeb South Africa broke ITV records on Monday with 4.9 million viewers, despite fans complaining they didn’t want to watch after discovering a new series had been pre-recorded
There’s more to come: the program also attracted 55% of 16-34 year olds, which is ITV1’s largest weekday 16-34 audience – (photo, Helen Flanagan)
Shock return: Gillian McKeith made a surprise entrance during the closing moments of the show
Fans saw the likes of Helen Flanagan, Fatima Whitbread and Phil Tufnell take on the giant red ball challenge.
There were also key moments where Shaun Ryder bonded with Paul Burrell, who couldn’t help but mention his royal connections.
And at the end of the show, Gillian McKeith arrived at camp in a giant wooden box.
For the first time in 21 years, the show ends, with an all-star cast, not with a Jungle King or Queen – instead with a “Legend.”
The lack of public votes means the stars, including Carol Vorderman, Helen Flanagan and Amir Khan, will be competing against each other and thus not be on their way to royal status – instead they will simply be competing with each other.
A statement from ITV read: ‘Without a public vote, they will go head to head in a battle to become the first ever ‘I’m A Celebrity Legend’.’
Viewers took to Twitter to express their frustration with the new format, with one penning: ‘If it’s all pre-recorded! Not live. Do not look’
Another said: ‘I’m looking forward to the I’m A Celeb All Stars show but it’s a shame it’s not live and we can’t vote because it’s pre-recorded’
A third wrote: ‘I don’t like how it’s all pre-recorded! If Love Island can do it, anyone can!’
One user added, “I really don’t see the point of this. I’m a celebrity in South Africa if it’s all pre-recorded, no voting – just a swizz really, probably know who wins if you search online too I guess’
Someone wrote: ‘Doesn’t quite feel the same as it was recorded last September’
Mimicking: The former royal butler, 64, mirrored his shocked expressions from 19 years ago as he got stuck in a challenge in South Africa’s new All Stars series
Challenging: Elsewhere, Helen overcame her fear of heights as she took on the first challenge
Comeback: The arrival of Gillian, 63 – who competed in series 10 of the original I’m A Celebrity in 2010 with Shaun – in the camp for the all-stars spin-off show was not well received
Champion: Meanwhile, viewers already predicted that Shaun Ryder will be crowned King of The Jungle after the first episode
Success: All three stars memorized their codes and won their stars, meaning they all got food for the camp
‘Not live, not watching’: The ratings came as I’m A Celebrity fans all had the same complaint as the South African spin-off hit ITV viewer screens, calling it ‘wrong’
Viewers took to Twitter to express their frustration with the new format, with one penning: ‘If it’s all pre-recorded! Not live. Do not look’
In addition to news of the winners, it has also been reported that two latecomers will be joining the cast – in the form of winners Georgia Toffolo and Joe Swash.
An insider told The Mirror: “A show source said, ‘There will still be a winner of the show, but they won’t be crowned in the same way…
“There’s no public vote and they’ve all run before, so the bosses decided they couldn’t really be crowned King or Queen. Instead, one celebrity is given legendary status.”
And the celebs accustomed to lavish lifestyles may be quite shocked when they first look around camp during the show hosted by Ant and Dec.
Their very basic camp has nothing more than a few wooden benches around a fire, some uncomfortable looking camp beds and hammocks and an outdoor shower.
Other features of the setup – which is six times larger than Australia’s – include a chore board with activities such as cooking and collecting wood that need to be pointed out.
In this camp, the wash water does not fall over a natural cliff, but falls from a shower head hanging from a tree.
The entrance to the camp also has a leafy walkway that leads down to a covered tree archway that enters the camp.
The beds are raised off the ground on wooden stilts to protect the stars from sharp creepy critters, but don’t offer a plush mattress.
A source told The Sun about the new camp: “Everything is bigger, scarier and bolder. If the celebrities think they know what to expect, they’re wrong.
“All they can count on is rice and beans!”
The publication reports that the celebrities will be stranded in seclusion surrounded by wildlife about five miles away from the nearest road and 40 minutes’ drive from a village.
Last week was the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The All Stars start date has been confirmed.
It starts on Monday 24 April and will be broadcast on weekdays for three weeks, with the final week clashing with the semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May.
Celebs: The All Stars season will see Shaun Ryder, Helen Flanagan, Phil Tufnell, Jordan Banjo, Carol Vorderman, Paul Burrell, Amir Khan, Janice Dickinson and Fatima Whitbread return to The Jungle on April 24
The ITV Press Center posted on Twitter: “Confirmed: I’m a celebrity… South Africa starts Monday 24 April at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.”
A host of stars from the series have been revealed so far, including boxer Amir Khan, 36, former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, 32, and TV presenter Carol Vorderman, 62.
They will be joined by the late Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell, 64, Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo, 30, Happy Mondays star Shaun Ryder, 60, retired javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread, 62, and former England international cricketer Phil Tufnell , 56.
The Sun reports that Gillian McKeith, 63, Dean Gaffney, 45, Joe Swash, 41, Andy Whyment, 42, Myleene Klass, 45 and Georgia Toffolo, 28, will arrive at camp later in the series.
Viewers can tune in to the second episode on ITV1 and ITVX on Tuesday night at 9pm.