07 August 2020

I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here 2020 to take place in UK castle due to Australian coronavirus restrictions

I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here will take place in a castle in the UK later this year rather than its usual destination in Australia.

Organisers of the show have had to make the drastic decision to relocate the hit reality programme due to the coronavirus restrictions in place Down Under.

Australia has currently closed its borders to control the spread of COVID-19, a move which has made it impossible for the I’m A Celeb crew to plan the show there for the end of 2020.

"Planning the jungle - as with most other shows - has been very difficult as producers navigate a dynamic and fast changing situation," a source told The Sun.

"What is OK one day, is impossible the next. The team have had many many different contingency plans in play to deal with all the various possibilities that COVID-19 has presented.

"However as time went on, it has become increasingly obvious that as one problem is solved, another appeared and there came a point where producers have to make tough decisions."

New restrictions have recently been imposed in various areas of Australia after the number of daily cases rose from just 84 on July 1 to 721 on July 30.

Victoria and Melbourne are two areas which have reinforced stringent measures as a result of the virus spreading.

It has not yet been confirmed where the castle is in the UK, only that it is in a rural area.

Richard Cowles, Director of Entertainment at ITV Studios added: "We pulled out all the stops to try and make the series happen in Australia.

"Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and despite us looking at many different contingencies, it became apparent that it just wasn’t possible for us to travel and make the show there.

"However, we are all really excited about a UK version of I’m A Celebrity.

"While it will certainly be different producing the show from the UK, the same tone and feel will remain."

The upcoming series of the show will be the 20th consecutive year that it has aired since first hitting British TV screens way back in 2002.

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