Ant and Dec face huge backlash as viewers vow to switch off I'm A Celebrity
They are the darlings of British TV - but even Ant and Dec are feeling the heat over the decision to let Nigel Farage go into the jungle.
A tweet by the duo on social media site X showing a video of the I'm A Celebrity campmates including Farage now has over 1000 replies. The vast majority are negative and criticise Farage being on the show. There are also montages/cartoons being created showing Farage with Ant and Dec and they are being criticised for allowing him on.
Comments with hundreds of likes include Ellis Jacklin saying to Ant and Dec: "Always been the one reality show we watch. Not this year lads."
Activist Tanisha Bramwell said: "There’s some fantastic people on the line up but it’s overshadowed. I am appalled at the platform and presenters. The hatred whipped up by farage and his friends has seen increases in hate crime across our country. Disgusted."
Ant and Dec face huge backlashEddie Burfi said: "Shame on ITV, Ant and Dec and the I'm A Celeb production company for platforming & normalising race-baiting grifters. Farage has done untold damage to the fabric of our country. Now he'll have a nightly platform to create the illusion of a 'normal' & 'safe' election choice. He's not."
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Kate Wilton said: "I hope the money’s good because the morals of advertising you’re platforming a man like Farage on for ‘laughs’ stinks." And another said: "It's going to be hard to sell the cheeky chappie 'lads of the people' narrative now fellas. Hancock stretched the elasticity of your popularity - promoting Farage snapped it and pinged it back in your faces."
A campaign against the decision to sign up Farage has been launched by action group Best For Britain and dozens of others people have suggested fans should boycott the show.
Former I'm A Celeb contestant Danny Baker said: "Nigel Farage being put into the jungle by ITV shows how insensitive, crass, tone deaf, idiot provocative, morally bankrupt a network they are. No wonder their ads are in the toilet. Ant & Dec are going to have to play Nigel Farage's toxicity as a feature in I'm A Celebrity - for laughs. Like it doesn't exist outside their TV show or his menace is just pantomime. But it's not. He's a poisonous dangerous cunning individual."
Will you be boycotting I'm A Celeb over Nigel Farage? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
Farage for his part has been milking the attention so far and even appeared to mock ITV for paying him such a huge fee to be on the show, reported as being up to £1.5million. In a video posted on his own X account he was shown on the phone saying he was "off fishing" next week before he said: "How much? God lord, I'll see you in the jungle."
In another he said: "I'm a hero to some and an absolute villain to millions."
ITV have also received large numbers of replies on social media criticising the decision but said in a statement: "I’m A Celebrity has always featured a diverse cast from all areas of public life and has a history of featuring political figures throughout its 20 years on screen. As with any camp mate, viewers are invited to form their own opinions when the show begins on Sunday."
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, former culture secretary Nadine Dorries predicted Farage “will do very well” as a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here because of his “chutzpah".
Dorries, 66, appeared on the ITV show in 2012, and was the first sitting MP to take part. Ms Dorries was asked if Farage would come out of the jungle “more popular”.
She said: “I think Nigel will do very very well. He’s got the chutzpah, he’s got the personality. I think he’ll do very well in I’m a Celebrity.”
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Ms Dorries speculated that Farage could be appearing on I’m A Celebrity to provide a boost to the small Reform party, previously known as the Brexit Party.
She said: “I think his power base is Reform. And I think that’s probably what he’s doing this for, to give Reform a boost, who, by the way, are doing very well at the moment.”
Of the impact the show had on her own career, Dorries said that it gave her “immense power” due to the growing popularity of Farage’s former party Ukip at the time.
A spokesman for Ant and Dec declined to comment on Farage or the comments being made to them on X, formerly twitter.
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