I’m A Celebrity pulled in over 10m viewers and is ITV’s highest rated show of the year

I'M a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! has broken viewing records for ITV, raking in over 10 million viewers for the opening night.

The long-running ITV series graced our screens for the first episode of the year last night, and proved its more popular with fans than ever.

The series eagerly-awaited return to Australia after two years in Wales drew an impressive peak audience of 10.3 million.

The show's average audience was 9.1 million, a whole million more than last years launch, making it ITV's highest rated show of 2022.

Last night's viewer count was the highest since the 2020 Euros and the biggest programme launch on any channel this year, excluding national and sporting events.

The reality TV contest raked in 2 million viewers within the 16-34 age bracket, making it the biggest audience in that audience range across any programme or channel.

I'm A Celeb wasn't the only ITV show notching up some big ratings though, with the Masked Singer I’m a Celebrity special also peaking with 4.8 million viewers on Sunday night.

I'm a Celeb fans have been left reeling however, with the announcement that former Love Islander Olivia Attwood has been forced to quit the show, within just twenty four hours of its commencement.

Coming as a huge shock to viewers and fellow contestants, the reality TV star's exit has caused a stir, with many flocking to twitter to share their disappointment.

One fan summed up the mood with their tweet: "Oh please let’s get @oliviajade_att back on @imacelebrity soooo gutted"

An I'm A Celeb spokesperson issued a statement regarding her exit, saying: “As a precautionary measure Olivia needed to leave the jungle to undergo some medical checks.

“Unfortunately the medical team has advised it is not safe for Olivia to return to camp as there needs to be a further investigation.

“She has been absolutely brilliant and she’ll be very much missed on the show.”