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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rebecca Cook

I'm A Celebrity return thrown into chaos as incoming storm shuts down camp

The Australian set of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has been thrown into chaos due to the weather at the camp.

The hit ITV reality show has been forced to close for 24 hours following as hosts Ant McPartlin, 46, and Declan Donnelly, 47, return Down Under.

The jungle-based celebrity show is due to return to its original location ahead of the launch of its new series in November.

But filming operations have ceased as a ‘precautionary measure’ following reports of severe flooding in the area.

A spokeswoman for ITV told the PA news agency: "We closed site for 24 hours as a precautionary measure due to the inclement weather."

I'm A Celeb bosses fear camp could turn into a mudbath (REX)

The country has been hit by widespread flooding several times this year and the bad weather has continued as ITV bosses try to put the final touches to the jungle camp, which they will use for the first time in 3 years from early next month.

The heavy rainfall, which included 53mm on Sunday, will lead to fears the show could be forced to evacuate celebrities if a similar downpour was to hit during filming.

In total, 96mm of rain fell from Saturday to Monday in the area. From 1972-2000 the month of October averaged 100mm for the whole month.

The closest small town to the jungle camp site, Murwillumbah, was also virtually underwater in March with dozens of homes evacuated and any more heavy rain in the next few weeks would pose problems for the town and the show being filmed.

The show is returning to I'm A Celeb for the first time in years (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The Aussie camp was evacuated in 2015 as thunder, lightning and torrential rain poured into the jungle.

The bad weather also meant cameras and lighting used on the show have lost power for a few hours. Celebs took shelter in the Bush Telegraph before returning to camp later.

When the show was filmed in Gwrych Castle in North Wales last year, the celebs were forced to completely leave the area and stay in nearby guest houses when the weather played havoc with the set.

The roof was taken off a building used for editing the programme and the show had to make do with highlights and pre-recorded bits from Ant and Dec before it went off air, with the celebs returning back into camp after the weekend when things were repaired to complete the series.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will air on ITV from November with a cast yet to be confirmed.

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