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ITV Choice viewers in Bahrain are getting the chance to watch the antics of a group of ‘celebrities’ being put through trials and tribulations in the jungle in a series that has gripped viewers in the UK.
I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! began its 13th series with its best-ever opening night ratings, attracting 12 million viewers – nearly half the Sunday night TV audience in its prime time slot – back home in Blighty.
The jungle reality show presented by hilarious double act Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, lovingly known as Ant & Dec who started together on children’s television, features a line-up of contestants that includes former Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington, ex-world snooker champion Steve Davis and TV presenter Matthew Wright.
Unlike some shows which are screened weeks, sometimes months, behind their UK showing, ITV Choice is presenting ‘I’m a Celebrity’ just a day late, and the increase for this year’s offering continues to be the number of viewers, boosted by a growing international audience.
Although some of the celebrities may be unknown to even British expats let alone locals, ironically, it’s the less famous ones that appear to be making it one of the ‘must see’ TV events of the year.
Watch out for young reality TV hunk Joey Essex, who arrived wearing one of the biggest medallions ever witnessed on the small screen, and his budding romance with stunning Miss Universe contestant Amy Willerton.
The famous folk have to live in camps, are chosen by viewers to undertake terrible tasks to win treats, have to suffer the little creatures and compete to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle.
The first to arrive in Australia was fashion designer David Emanuel, joined shortly after by snooker legend Davis.
Emanuel has stated that he hates creepy crawlies and is afraid of pretty much everything – small spaces and heights to name a few – so people are wondering why he wanted to enter the jungle in the first place.
Meanwhile, Davis is keeping quiet about his phobias.
Next to be confirmed was singer Kian Egan followed by EastEnders star Laila Morse, a no-nonsense battle-axe, and fellow soap opera actress Lucy Pargeter, the landlady in Emmerdale.
Softie Egan revealed that he will miss his family, but had already started preparations. The Westlife crooner started fasting in order to shrink his stomach for the show – so he didn’t feel the pang as much as the other contestants.
Talk show host Wright seems to be the viewers’ target when it comes to making the contestants suffer and has already had to gobble down plates full of foul-tasting animal parts and be buried amid insects alongside favourite to be crowned, Essex.
Olympian Adlington has already revealed that swimmers do in pools what you hope children don’t, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor Alfonso Ribeiro has been playing a low-key friendly role so far.
Gripping stuff.
ITV Choice is available in the Middle East on Star TV’s Star Select service, as well as on OSN channel 47 where I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, is aired at 8.30pm.
