I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! viewing figures have continued to fall short in comparison to last year’s lockdown audience numbers.
As of Friday 26 November, overnight ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 6.37million viewers, significantly lower than that of the previous series, which averaged at 8.4million.
While ITV bosses are bumping up their audience stats by taking catch-up viewers into account, this series has been thrown into chaos after technical difficulties caused by Storm Arwen caused Saturday and Sunday’s episodes to be cancelled.
The viewership so far in the 2021 series pales into comparison to the ratings series 18 in 2018 -won by Harry Redknapp – which averaged a whopping 12.14.
Series three in 2004 also proved a hit with audiences with 11.02 million viewers when Kerry Katona became queen of the jungle and Katie Price and Peter Andre started their fiery romance.
Also topping the charts with 11.14 million viewers was series 13 in 2013 when Westlife’s Kian Egan scooped the crown and Joey Essex famously asked if his water canister was a ‘man bag’.
Series seven was a particularly bad year for I’m A Celeb viewer stats as only 7.45 million fans on average tuned into the show.
Christopher Biggins charmed audiences to storm to victory in 2007’s flop series, with Katie Hopkins shocking viewers with her typically contraversial comments.
Gruelling: The viewership so far in the 2021 series pales into comparison to the ratings series 18 in 2018 -won by Harry Redknapp – which averaged a whopping 12.14
The last two series of I’m A Celeb have been filmed in the 200-year-old Gwrych Castle in Abergele, North Wales.
Stars have been forced to endure freezing 8°C cold temperatures and no protection from the elements after bosses shelled out £1 million to secure use of the site when production was forced to be relocated from Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions.
And while the Welsh setting charmed captive audiences in lockdown during the popular 2020 series, it appears to be failing to peak the same interest this year.
However in more positive news, overnight ratings for I’m A Celebrity on Friday saw the show receive the biggest audience share across the channels with 31.2% and a peak of 5707.3.
MailOnline contacted I’m A Celeb representatives regarding the figures, who said: ‘The launch audience for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! has so far risen to a peak of 11.3 million viewers, according to the latest available consolidated data.’
Taking into account on demand viewers, they added: ‘This represents a 2.3 million increase since the overnight peak audience, when catch up viewing so far is taken into account, showing that viewers are also catching at their own convenience after the main broadcast.’
They continued: ‘The full 7 day consolidated data for the launch will be available next Monday, however, based on currently available part consolidated data and Hub viewing, the average audience across the 100 minute opening episode has so far risen to nearly 10 million viewers.’
Getting there: in more positive news, overnight ratings for I’m A Celebrity on Friday saw the show receive the biggest audience share across the channels with 31.2% and a peak of 5707.3
The data comes after I’m A Celeb bosses announced that two of its live shows will be cancelled due to technical difficulties caused by Storm Arwen.
In the latest blow to a troubled series, ITV bosses confirmed that this weekend’s shows would be replaced by compilation shows looking back at previous series, however, normal service should resume from next week.
Friday’s programme was pre-recorded by hosts Ant and Dec, due to safety concerns sparked by the threat of Storm Arwen.
Troubling: The data comes after I’m A Celeb bosses announced that two of its live shows will be cancelled due to technical difficulties caused by Storm Arwen
The statement said: ‘Owing to technical difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions in the area, there will be no new episodes of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! this weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows (voiced by Ant & Dec) featuring best moments from previous series.’
It was thought that the gale at 70 mph knocked out satellite systems and caused huge technical disruption for the production crew.
Pre-planning: Friday’s programme was pre-recorded by hosts Ant and Dec, due to safety concerns sparked by the threat of Storm Arwen
Security staff and production workers had ‘to run for their lives’ and were ‘blown off their feet’ as 70mph winds battered the 19th century Gwrych Castle in North Wales.
Ant & Dec did not present Friday’s episode live for the first time in the show’s 19-year history and filmed their segments earlier in the afternoon ahead of the storm worsening.
And while it was hoped that things would continue as normal this weekend, the impact of Storm Arwen has meant that urgent changes have had to be made.
Chaos: It was thought that the gale at 70 mph knocked out satellite systems and caused huge technical disruption for the production crew
A source said: ‘It was terrifying. Down at the front of the castle people were running everywhere to try and secure property and the fencing.
‘People were blown off their feet. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured.
‘But it looks like a bomb has hit the site today. The roofs of the marquees have been ripped or torn off and equipment is lying on on its side along with the fencing.
‘It is devastating. But producers have been brilliant in bringing in extra staff and taking extra measures.’
Scary: ‘It was terrifying. Down at the front of the castle people were running everywhere to try and secure property and the fencing. People were blown off their feet’ said a source