I'm A Celebrity viewers cry 'fix' as Frankie Dettori exits first

03 December 2023 , 23:19

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ITV I'm A Celebrity viewers accuse show of 'fix' as Frankie Dettori is first eliminated (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

ITV I'm A Celebrity viewers have accused the show's public vote of being a "fix" after Frankie Dettori became the first contestant eliminated at the end of tonight's show.

YouTube star Nella Rose had been tipped by bookies to be the first to exit the jungle after disagreements with Fred Sirieix and Nigel Farage, leaving fans baffled by the jockey's booting. The 52-year-old was sent packing for failing to win over audiences at home, after completing almost a fortnight in the Australian camp.

"I'm disappointed, but also very happy because I did nearly two weeks in the jungle," he told hosts Ant and Dec in his elimination interview. "I beat my fears of close spaces and snakes. I met some wonderful people and it's been a fantastic experience." After his exit, he enjoyed a glass of champagne and a cuddle with his wife.

Frankie Dettori has been the first to be voted out of the camp (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Some fans were upset that Frankie left before Nella, with a number of outraged viewers even blasting the result as a "fix."

"So you're telling more people voted for Nella to stay in the camp than Frankie?!?! Absolute FIX!!!" one disgruntled person raged, while another said, "What an absolute fix Nella should be the first one out." This was echoed by a third annoyed fan, who tweeted, "Clear fix. Time to end I’m a celebrity get me out of here."

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A fourth even vowed to stop tuning into I'm A Celebrity altogether, writing, "That's it - I'm finished This is unwatchable now. Frankie's been made a scapegoat. Sorry Frankie but you deserve an explanation. For this, I'm done. Totally fixed. Bye, I'm a Celebrity, you're finished for me. Got better things to do than watch this rubbish."

Nella and Nigel haven't seen eye to eye in camp (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

While Frankie has been the first I'm A Celebrity contestant to be eliminated, he's not the first to leave the competition. Both food critic Grace Dent and Jamie Lynn Spears have already walked from the show due to health issues, leaving viewers at home shocked at the double withdrawal.

Before entering camp, Frankie had insisted that his I'm A Celebrity stint was not financially motivated, but that he simply wanted to experience a new adventure. He also confessed he had no idea if he could win the gritty competition, despite being crowned the champion of hundreds of races throughout his career.

At the time, he said: "It's a very hard question to answer because what do you have to do to win? I don't understand that. I mean my philosophy is go down there, be myself, try to win tasks to feed the camp and to keep as a unit and that's it. So what do you need to do to win? Is it popularity? Or is it because you're in the trials or because you’re argumentative, I really don't know. It's a lifetime experience."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Emma Dooney