“I’m a Celebrity” loses millions of viewers as fans boycott the series
The 2023 final of "I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!" saw a substantial drop in viewership compared to last year, losing millions of viewers.
On Sunday evening, Sam Thompson, a Made In Chelsea star, was officially declared the King of the Jungle, while boxing legend Tony Bellew secured the runner-up position, and ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage claimed third place.
As per the overnight ratings, an average of 6.6 million viewers tuned in for the grand final, peaking at 7.5 million.
The viewing figures are expected to increase as more people catch up through other platforms, but there has been a significant decrease from the numbers in 2022.
Last year’s overnight ratings recorded 10.1 million viewers, indicating a drop of nearly four million for this year’s final.
ITV has also disclosed the final public vote results, revealing Sam received 43.35%, Tony secured 30.87%, and Nigel garnered 25.78%, resulting in Sam and Tony progressing to the next stage while Nigel was eliminated.
Sam claimed the title of Jungle King, securing 56.64% of the vote.
Despite various factors contributing to the decline in viewership, a significant number of fans pledged to boycott the series due to Nigel’s presence in the camp.
Even before the official announcement of the lineup, speculations about the former politician entering the jungle were sufficient to deter people from tuning in.
I’m a Celeb enthusiast, @LizoSpoons, expressed reluctance about watching the show with Nigel Farage, citing their dissatisfaction with the presence of Matt previously.”
Another viewer, @simonrch1, confessed, “I consider I’m a celeb my guilty TV pleasure. However, if you’re part of it, I’ll switch off.”
Additionally, another fan (@BDR6778) firmly stated, “I’m not interested in seeing Nigel on I’m a Celeb.”
Nigel Farage made an appearance on Good Morning Britain today and downplayed any parallels drawn between himself and Matt Hancock, despite their shared controversial political backgrounds and third-place finishes on the show.
“I find it challenging to accept any comparison between myself and Matt Hancock,” chuckled the recently debuted reality TV personality.
He further remarked, “Hancock was part of a government that enforced three lockdowns, inflicting substantial harm on our nation. Therefore, I do not view myself in the same light as Matt Hancock, except for our shared third-place position.
