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Published: 12th November 2014
The latest series of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here is kicking up a media storm and they’ve yet to broadcast the first episode.
Set to go live this Sunday at 9pm ITV1, Celebrity animal-lover Chris Packham has written an open letter in the Radio Times criticising the show’s use of animals.
The ex-Wild Show presenter has claimed that the show’s infamous Bushtucker trials are “barbaric” and “out of date,” calling out Geordie-duo Ant and Dec in particular for what he claims are cruel practices in the popular ITV1 show.
Packham argues that the show reinforces negative attitudes towards harmless animals, by presenting totally safe or subdued animals as potential dangers to the celeb volunteers.
He goes on to call the show’s supposed trials “silly” as the animals have “their fangs sealed, their jaws bound so, even under the stress they’re exposed to, they couldn’t possibly harm any of your guests. But then, let’s face it, as we all know, you couldn’t let that happen anyway. It’s a sham.”
ITV responded on behalf of Ant and Dec saying, ““Ant and Dec are the presenters of the show, and as such are not involved with the formatting of the trials, which are devised by the show’s producers. ITV takes animal welfare very seriously and expert handlers are on hand at all times.”
In spite of what Chris Packham may think, as one of ITV’s biggest shows it seems unlikely that the producers will put the show on hold or change the nature of the trials.
The celeb line-up will go head-to-fang with Australia’s best beasts live on Sunday 16th November.
