BREAKING NEWS: Ant And Dec Reveal Two I’m A Celeb Stars Are Banned From Ever Returning
Ant and Dec have joked that two former I’m A Celebrity stars are “banned” from returning for the show’s upcoming Canadian spin-off after the chaos that erupted during the most recent live final.
The Geordie presenters are preparing to front I’m A Celebrity… The Wild Frontier, a new version of the ITV hit that will take celebrities and their loved ones into the Canadian wilderness.
For the first time, contestants will enter as pairs, compete together and ultimately leave the competition together.
Like the previous All Stars series, much of the programme will be filmed months in advance before everything builds towards a live grand final in London.
And it was that detail that prompted Ant and Dec to recall the drama of the previous live finale.
Speaking on their Hanging Out with Ant & Dec podcast while in Canada, Dec explained: “They will enter as a pair, compete as a pair, and eventually leave as a pair.”
When he added that the series would end with a live London final, Ant immediately joked: “What could possibly go wrong?”
Dec then laughed: “Jimmy Bullard and David Haye are barred from the series.”
The remark was clearly made as a joke rather than an announcement of any official ITV ban.
Ant and Dec Revisit Chaotic All Stars Finale
Jimmy Bullard and David Haye became central figures in the chaotic conclusion to the previous All Stars series after confronting eventual winner Adam Thomas during the live programme.
The pair accused Adam of intimidating behaviour towards former footballer Jimmy during the series and claimed viewers had not been shown the full extent of their fallout.
As the discussion became increasingly heated, the live final began to unravel.
Gemma Collins was among the stars who walked off stage, while Ant received praise from some viewers for challenging Jimmy and David during the confrontation.
Despite Dec’s joke about keeping them away from the new series, Ant suggested he would still happily have the pair present for entertainment value.
“I’d like them just in the front row, just for heckles,” he said, before joking about having a “hecklers corner”.
Adam later addressed the controversy himself on The Thomas Bros Podcast.
He acknowledged that the full confrontation with Jimmy had not been shown and admitted his own language during the exchange had been particularly strong.
Adam said he wished bosses had aired more of what happened so viewers could better understand the dispute rather than seeing the fallout emerge during the live finale.
New Canada Spin-Off Brings Major Format Change
Ant and Dec have made clear that The Wild Frontier will feel very different from the traditional Australian version of I’m A Celebrity.
The biggest change is the decision to cast celebrities alongside people close to them, meaning contestants will face challenges as pairs rather than individually.
ITV says the famous faces and their partners will tackle gruelling trials and action-packed challenges in order to win food.
After weeks surviving in the Canadian wilderness, viewers will then decide which duo should be crowned the overall winners.
Dec admitted that the Canadian environment also brings an additional layer of tension, particularly because contestants could potentially encounter bears.
He described the new series as “very different” and said he was excited about what the setting would bring.
Ant has similarly promised that viewers will see a version of I’m A Celebrity unlike anything the franchise has attempted before.
“This brand new series is I’m A Celebrity… like you’ve never seen before,” he said, teasing “lots of twists and surprises”.
Dec added that producers are still keeping familiar elements from the Australian series so longtime viewers will recognise the show they love.
With a new location, pairs competing together and another live London finale awaiting at the end, the spin-off is already shaping up to be unpredictable.
And after what happened last time, Ant and Dec clearly haven’t forgotten just how quickly a live I’m A Celebrity final can descend into chaos.
