More than 50,000 have signed a petition calling for them to quit
Ant and Dec are facing calls from thousands of
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! viewers for them to quit their roles as presenters of the series.
The series is returning to Australia for the first time since 2019 after two years in Wales because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and will see the likes of Chris Moyles,
Boy George, Mike Tindall and Olivia Attwood enter the jungle.
But while millions are eagerly anticipating the show's return, many aren't as excited.
A petition has been launched to urge presenters Ant and Dec to quit the show after 20 years of presenting it, following an open letter from animal rights charity PETA which urges them to step down due to some of the trials.
In the letter, from
PETA's Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen, the presenting duo are accused of being "complicit in cruelty to animals" on the ITV programme as various challenges include snakes, insects and other animals.
The scathing letter adds that Ant and Dec's hosting of the show sends a "message to viewers that you think animal abuse is not only acceptable but also entertaining". It adds: "For 20 years, you have been complicit in the 'bushtucker trials', standing by as animals of all descriptions are tormented – and even killed – for TV ratings.
"In this time, you must surely have become aware of the suffering, discomfort, and fear that these unwilling participants endure during the challenges. Ostriches, crocodiles, snakes, rats, and thousands of insects have been exploited for the show's puerile pranks - and we fear that the upcoming series will be no different."
The letter also adds that the show could come up with "clever and captivating tasks that harm no animals". It then urges Ant and Dec to make the upcoming
All Stars series of
I'm A Celeb their last and says the move "would signal to the show’s producers that people aren’t going to stand for senseless cruelty to animals anymore and that it’s time to change".
https://twitter.com/PETAUK/status/1588482831357181952
PETA's letter also says they have received more than 50,000 signatures on
their petition, urging ITV to "stop abusing animals" on I'm A Celeb. The letter ends with: "So please, hang up your hats and get yourselves out of there – for animals’ sake."
A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity told the
Mirror : "We are always fully transparent about our protocols and we have a very strict environmental plan in place on the show. As a production, we comply with all regional and national laws concerning the use of insects, animals and reptiles.
"Welfare and safety is always the primary priority on any of our programmes, and at any Bushtucker trial that features animals, we have qualified and experienced animal handlers on site at all times. We inform the RSPCA NSW of all of our activities on the show and they have an open invitation to attend the site at any time.
"We cannot stress enough that we have rigorous protocols in place to ensure that animals are handled safely at all times, before, during and after any filming has taken place, in compliance with all regional and national laws."
The buildup to this year's series has arguably been the most controversial in the show's history following the announcement that former health secretary Matt Hancock will be taking part.
More than 38,000 people have already
signed a petition calling for him to be removed from the show, arguing his appearance on the show will "cause real pain and anguish to those of us who lost loved ones to Covid-19."
The new series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! will begin on Sunday November 6, with a bumper 105-minute episode.
The date is earlier than the show's usual slot in mid-November. This is to avoid a clash with this winter's World Cup, with only the series' final week overlapping with ITV's coverage of the tournament.
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