I’m A Celeb viewers threaten to boycott show after watching Nigel Farage on first episode

Last night (20 November) marked a big night for telly; the return of I’m A Celeb - but some people weren't happy.

Folks have been threatening to boycott the show ever since it was announced that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage would be heading to the jungle.

They became even more irate when it emerged that Farage would be exempt from some Bushtucker Trials on medical grounds.

The rumour he was being paid £1.5 million to take part in I'm a Celeb didn't help matters either.

But did Farage manage to win over viewers after the first episode aired?

Spoiler alert: not really.

ITV

Farage is joined on the show by Fred Sirieix, Frankie Dettori, Nella Rose, Tony Bellew, Josie Gibson, Nick Pickard, Jamie-Lynn Spears, Danielle Harold, Sam Thompson, Marvin Humes and Grace Dent.

The first episode saw the campmates already taking on challenges like standing on the edge of a skyscraper.

Farage and Gibson were also given a terrifying task where they had to stick their head through holes filled with snakes.

Not only did Farage have to get up close and personal with creepy crawlies, he was also subjected to a ribbing from Ant and Dec.

Dec said in one of their segments: "There’s the man who’s got everyone talking. Nigel Farage. Nigel now, not just known for his controversial political career, he’s also got his own show on GB News.

Now of course, he won’t be presenting that show over the next three weeks. So we’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to all of GB News viewers."

Any quipped: "Sorry Linda, sorry Keith."

Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

People didn't seem to enjoy watching Farage on their screens, with #BoycottImACeleb trending on X in the UK.

One fumed: “Paying £1.5m to platform a racist is a disgusting new low for @itv.

“I don’t want to live in a world where spreading hate is a lucrative gift.”

The team running Farage’s account while he’s in the jungle took a screenshot of the hashtag trending with nearly 5,000 posts below ‘Farage’ trending with over 20,000 posts.

They captioned it: “Good to see the boycott’s going well then…” with a laughing face emoji.

This was reposted by users as they wrote ‘arrogant pr*ck’ and ‘let’s all just stay silent & turn ITV off’.

Another also put: “Every year, about this time, I’ll crack open the Quality Street and settle in for 3 weeks of the only reality TV show I don’t actively hate: #ImACelebrity.

“Putting Hancock in last year was a terrible move. But Farage is beyond the pale. I’m not watching it.”

LADbible has contacted ITV for comment.