ITV’s celebrity-filled jungle is back for another year of Bushtucker Trials and drama.
And with the return of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! comes the return of complaints regarding the show’s use of animals.
Of course, I’m A Celeb sees plenty of snakes, spiders, rats and other ‘creepy’ creatures used to freak out the campmates.
Maybe they’re buried underground with them, have to poke their hands into boxes filled with them or simply showered with the crawlies.
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Either way, animals are arguably just as important to the ITV show as the celebrities themselves – this year’s including the likes of Tony Bellew, Fred Sirieix and Jamie Lynn Spears.
However, the RSPCA are urging viewers to complain about ‘worrying’ actions on I’m A Celeb.
The animal welfare charity write: “Every year, we're faced with serious concerns about the use of animals, including snakes, insects and other live creatures during the filming of the show.”
Launching a #UnhappyCampers campaign again, it says over 20,000 people took action last year.
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The RSPCA say: “With our previous calls for change ignored, we’re more concerned than ever about the use of live animals on the show and the example it sets for viewers.
“The show's messaging and the potential to prompt people to try and copy the 'bushtucker trials' at home for entertainment is also worrying.
“We feel that deliberately portraying certain species as nasty or frightening or as objects that can be used purely for entertainment rather than sentient, living creatures sends out totally the wrong message.”
Concerned for the animals, the charity list what they experience on the show, including being ‘handled roughly’, ‘crushed’, ‘scared by contestants’ and ‘prevented from escaping stressful situations'.
As a result, the RSPCA are urging people to ‘take action to Ofcom’.
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“While we understand that I’m a Celeb is a popular form of entertainment, we're only asking producers to stop using living creatures in this capacity,” it writes.
“Please get involved by using the form below to let Ofcom know that harm to living creatures for I’m a Celebrity is unacceptable.”
In response, a show spokesperson said to LADbible: “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.
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“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."
Topics: ITV, TV and Film, Im A Celebrity, Animals, RSPCA
Jess Battison