TRIALLING TIMES
I’m A Celebrity viewers told to boycott show over ‘tired, tacky and cruel’ Bushtucker Trials
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I’M A Celebrity viewers have been urged to boycott the show because of its “tired, tacky and cruel” Bushtucker trials.
The ITV series - which is hosted by Ant and Dec - will be filmed at the Gwrych Castle in Wales for the second year running, rather than its usual camp in Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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More than eight million fans are expected to tune into next Sunday’s opening episode - but Peta is encouraging people not to bother.
The animal rights charity has long complained against the use of animals in the show - claiming that the use of live rats, snakes, spiders cockroaches and mealworms are used for “cheap laughs”.
Peta UK’s media and communications manager, Jennifer White, told the that ITV “must change the structure of the show" if they want to stay relevant.
“Every season of this show brings more cruelty to our screens,” she exclaimed.
“Animals are terrified and abused and killed for these challenges and it’s all for a cheap laugh.
“We encourage everyone to boycott watching this year’s show.”
Jennifer added that it is "incredibly disappointing" that the swap from Australia to Wales did not bring with it a change to the format of the show and the ban of live animals.
“People didn’t want to see animals being eaten alive and they got rid of live eating challenges," she said.
"But we’re still seeing animals being treated in these incredibly horrific ways, all to try and up their TV ratings.”
It’s not just the Bushtucker Trials where Peta accuses I’m A Celeb of animal abuse, as Jennifer recalled when “a rat was stabbed to death in the camp”.
It comes after the 2009 series of I’m A Celebrity saw two contestants - Gino D’Acampo and Stuart Manning - sent to “exile” after they thought their meal of rice and beans would not have enough protein.
Gino stabbed and killed a rat that was “running around the camp”, with the pair later eating the long-tailed rodent with their meal.
A Sydney court was told how the rat took more than a minute to die after being stabbed, with ITV fined £1,660 for animal cruelty over the incident.
The Sun has contacted ITV for comment.
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On the topic of Bushtucker Trials, I'm A Celeb star Richard Madeley will be the first to do it, according to the bookmakers.
The presenter, footballer David Ginola, soap stars Adam Woodyatt and Simon Gregson, and ex-pop star Frankie Bridge will be among the contestants braving the elements.
I’m A Celebrity returns to ITV on November 21.
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