Ant and Dec cause ITV I’m A Celebrity chaos as they overhaul iconic feature: ‘So ridiculous’
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! has sparked controversy after producers announced a major shake-up to the show’s traditional elimination format.
The ITV reality series, which is due to end in a matter of days, will no longer allow viewers to vote for their favourite contestants during the crucial final week.
Instead, four celebrities will compete in a special trial for immunity, with the winner securing automatic passage to the iconic Celebrity Cyclone challenge.
The surprise change was revealed during Tuesday night’s episode when host Dec told viewers: “We are not reopening the vote for tomorrow because we’ve got a massive surprise for them.”
The details of the twist were later revealed on spin-off show I’m A Celebrity… Unpacked by host Joel Dommett.
Danny Jones, Oti Mabuse, and Maura Higgins will be among the contestants competing for the coveted immunity token.
The winner will be exempt from the next two vote-offs and automatically secure their place in the Celebrity Cyclone challenge.
This marks a significant departure from the show’s traditional format, where the final four contestants are typically determined by public votes throughout the final week.
The result of this immunity trial will be revealed during Thursday night’s episode.
The change has prompted significant backlash from viewers on social media, with many expressing disappointment at losing their voting power.
“I’m sorry but that should be the viewer’s choice and a reward for being a fan favourite,” wrote one viewer on X.
Another fan commented: “No! The public should have the say on who stays.”
“This ticket to the cyclone thing is so ridiculous why are we talking immunity this far into the final week?” questioned another disappointed viewer.
Some fans went as far as to call it the show’s “biggest ever mistake,” with one stating: “They have ruined it. The series was going perfectly but production had to mess it up.”
Despite viewer criticism, hosts Ant and Dec have defended the controversial format change.
Speaking on I’m A Celebrity… Unpacked, the duo expressed enthusiasm for the new twist, saying: “Well, we like it!”
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McPartlin emphasised the dramatic nature of the challenge, stating: “It’s very exciting, it’s winner takes all.”
The hosts revealed that the four campmates will go head-to-head with the winner being declared immediately.
While some fans have threatened to switch off over the change, others have embraced the shake-up, expressing satisfaction with the four stars selected for the immunity challenge.