I'm A Celebrity and Ant and Dec hit with major problem ahead of show launch

19 November 2023 , 18:55

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I'm A Celebrity and Ant and Dec hit with major problem ahead of show launch

I'm A Celebrity bosses will be left fretting tonight that their idea to hire notoriously controversial former MP Nigel Farage for a rumoured £1.5million fee might not have been the best idea in the world.

Just hours before the hit ITV show is due to air, furious fans took to X - formerly Twitter - in their thousands to ensure that '#BoycottImACeleb' began trending. Farage has been accused of racism, sexism and xenophobia over the course of his career, so ITV providing the GB News presenter with a platform has left some viewers deeply concerned and disgusted.

"I make no apology for hammering the #BoycottImACeleb drum. Normalising Farage, and packaging him for prime-time light entertainment is wrong on every imaginable level. Chowing down on kangaroo b******s is *nothing* compared to the shite he has fed his army of the gullible," one angry viewer tweeted. While another raged: "Nigel Farage isn't a celebrity. He doesn't provide entertainment, only racism. He is one of the most hated people in the UK. Prove it by hitting ITV where they will feel it, in their pocket. #BoycottImACeleb."

Fans are not impressed that Nigel Farage is taking part (Kieron McCarron / ITV)

A third fumed: "Absolutely deplorable that #ImACeleb pays a fortune for disreputable politicians to appear on it. This year and last. If we #BoycottImACeleb ITV will lose much needed advertising revenue." Another commented: "Hi @antanddec will you be adding “happy to platform bigotry & xenophobia” to your CVs along with “[heart emoji] Matt Hancock.. top guy” ? It seems both of you are happy to take the money, promote far right rhetoric & enable more of this: #BoycottImACeleb ."

ITV previously responded to the backlash in a statement, saying: "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."

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Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain, said: "While the thought of Farage mingling with other creepy-crawlies may seem appropriate, anything that normalises or amplifies his toxic views must be opposed. After a weekend that saw police injured at the hands of a far-right mob, and after years of his politics poisoning our society, we want the public to send a clear message to Ant and Dec, ITV and the media at large, that giving a divisive populist like Farage a nightly primetime platform is not good for our country."

*I'm A Celebrity airs tonight at 9pm on ITV and ITVX

Rose Hill