Jungle Showdown: I'm A Celeb Returns Amidst Fierce TV Competition
The iconic reality series I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! made its triumphant return to ITV on Sunday night, pulling in a cool 7.3 million viewers for its 23rd season launch. The new batch of celebrities, including Kelly Brook and Martin Kemp, have ventured Down Under, braving the Australian jungle in their quest to be crowned King or Queen.
Viewing Figures: A Tale of Two Reality Titans
While the launch episode's average viewership of 6.6 million people across its 90-minute runtime is impressive, it was notably overshadowed by the recent success of a rival show. Earlier this month, a whopping 11 million people tuned in to witness Alan Carr's unexpected victory on the finale of Celebrity Traitors on the BBC, making it one of the corporation's most successful reality debuts in recent years.
This places the opening of I'm A Celebrity at just over half the audience of the Celebrity Traitors climax, highlighting a shifting landscape in British television preferences.
Youth Appeal and Jungle Trials
Despite the overall numbers, I'm A Celeb continues to prove its immense popularity with a younger demographic. The launch secured a massive 83% share of 16 to 34-year-old viewers. This is a significant achievement at a time when traditional TV viewership in this age group is declining due to the rise of streaming services and short-form video content.
Over the next three weeks, the ten celebrities will be stripped of modern comforts. Their ultimate test involves surviving on basic rations like rice and beans and facing the dreaded Bushtucker Trials. The launch episode concluded with hosts Ant and Dec revealing that Ruby Wax and Angry Ginge would face the first trial, named 'The Divey'.
Controversy and Early Fan Backlash
However, the new series has already hit a rocky start with viewers. Shortly after the first episode aired, fans began calling for Ruby Wax to be axed from the show. Many took to social media to label the actress as "rude, unlikeable and annoying" after she was seen telling fellow contestant Angry Ginge, "If you could just get out of my way because there are cameras there."
This early controversy sets a dramatic tone for the season, which also features celebrities such as Alex Scott, Aitch, Lisa Riley, and Jack Osbourne, all under the watchful eyes of veteran presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
