ITV announced on Monday that the premiere I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Here! drew a peak audience of eight million viewers, with an average of seven million tuning in.
These figures match last year’s debut but fall short of the nine million peak recorded in 2022.
However, this marks ITV's highest overnight audience of the year for a non-sporting event.
The premiere featured contestants tackling a variety of grueling challenges, including cockroach-filled races, capsized canoes, and fish-eye cocktail blending. Tulisa Contostavlos and Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall claimed victory in a competitive showdown.
Viewers quickly highlighted BBC Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough as a standout, praising his "hilarious" quip about Coleen Rooney’s infamous "Wagatha Christie" trial during their first encounter.
In the series' first public vote, GK Barry was chosen to face the next Bushtucker Trial, ominously titled Vile Volcano.
Among this year’s contestants are former Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse, McFly singer Danny Jones, boxer Barry McGuigan, Loose Women star Jane Moore and broadcaster Melvin Odom.
There was an added surprise in store viewers during Sunday night’s premiere when Comedian Peter Kay made an appearance to promote his record-breaking tour during an adbreak.
During the first commercial break of the ITV show, viewers were treated to a funny ad featuring Kay.
In the advert, the 51-year-old comedian, famed for Phoenix Nights and Car Share, was seen carrying a golden toilet into his mother's bungalow, a nod to his successful 2002 Mum Wants A Bungalow tour.
As Kay entered the house, now adorned with a mural of Queen’s Freddie Mercury on the garage door, an onlooker asked: “Are you doing any more shows?”
To which he responded with humour, shouting: “I have no choice – she wants it all now.” A graphic then flashes on screen, revealing that Kay is extending his Better Late Than Never tour, which originally kicked off in 2022, with 21 new dates.
The additional performances will begin in February 2025 and run until February 2026, including his first-ever shows at Aberdeen’s P&J Live, Brighton Centre, Bournemouth International Centre, and Isle of Man Villa Marina.
Kay has already set multiple records on his tour, including selling out 45 dates at London’s O2 Arena and reaching 100 performances at Manchester’s AO Arena.
In a statement, the comedian said: “It’s been wonderful doing what I love most, stand-up comedy. Laughter is more important than ever in these challenging times and with the cost of living still at an all-time high, ticket prices for the new dates will start from £35.”
Tickets are set to go on sale on Saturday, 23 November at 10am.
I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! airs on ITV1 and ITVX airs every night at 9pm.
