Producers of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! have revealed how the Australian camp has been modified to accommodate Ade Adepitan, who becomes the show's first wheelchair user. The presenter and former Paralympian, who contracted polio as a baby, uses both a wheelchair and crutches.
Ade will join AJ Odudu and Chloe Burrows in the jungle, taking on Ant and Dec's bushtucker trials. He spent time with producers earlier this year to determine what adaptations would be needed.
Camp Modifications and Equipment
The camp has been specially modified with widened paths, strengthened handrails, wheelchair parking spaces, crutch holders and a stairlift for the jungle shower. Ade will also have access to three wheelchairs in and around the camp, three pairs of crutches, an additional wheelchair for trials, and an electric wheelchair capable of handling challenging terrain.
One producer said: "All I will say is that if he makes it that far...he will be doing the Celebrity Cyclone. Without giving anything away, from the moment you see him on screen, you will be impressed."
Producers' Approach to Inclusion
During a one-day visit, Ade discussed his needs with executives, though he remains unaware of the trials and challenges yet to be broadcast. The executive said: "The camp didn't look anything like it does now...nothing was given away. He came to almost educate us about what his needs were to be able to live in this camp."
"It was more about understanding what he could do, what he needed and what we could do to adapt to make him more comfortable in camp," the executive added.
The producer explained: "With Ade, he goes between crutches and a wheelchair. He transfers between the two, and what we want him to do is have the same here that he'd have at home."
Bushtucker Trial Participation
Additional handles and other equipment have been installed for bushtucker trials to ensure Ade is not excluded from challenges. The producer said: "There are about 23 trials, and he can do the majority of them, which I think is a real achievement."
"It would be really easy just to go, 'Here's the trial,' and then say, 'Well, he can't do it. Medically exempt,' or whatever it might be. There are lots of people every year who are exempt for various reasons, but we really wanted to set him up to succeed," the producer continued.
Despite the modifications, the producer said "it will feel like the same show. It will be the same iconic show that we all know and love, they're just tweaks and adaptations that mean he's able to do them."
Ade's Reaction to Making History
Following his announcement as a participant, Ade spoke about making history as the programme's first wheelchair user. He said: "Words like 'honour' and 'privilege' are ones I feel, but I don't think they sum it up enough. For me, this is a moment in time. Even if I go out in the first week, I will always be remembered as the person in a wheelchair."
"I am slightly overwhelmed. It's never been done before, and it never crossed my mind I would be the first! It's the biggest show on TV and this is a huge opportunity," he added.
"How often do you get to spend three weeks in the jungle doing this crazy stuff? This is the sort of thing you dream about as a kid. If someone spoke to my eight-year-old self, he wouldn't believe it. I know their jaws will hit the ground when kids I grew up with at school watch the programme!"
I'm A Celebrity returns on Monday at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
