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Simon Duke

I'm A Celebrity's Ant and Dec 'blindsided' by ITV format change as fans left asking same question

Ant and Dec appeared to be just as clueless as viewers at home over a major format change for the new series of I'm A Celebrity as everyone was left asking the same thing - just who is deciding who does the trials?

Following on from weeks of teaser adverts for the All Stars run, the series kicked off on Monday night, with the Geordie duo once again at the helm as an I'm A Celebrity line-up including Paul Burrell, Amir Khan and Janice Dickinson headed to South Africa, to become the much loved show's first official Legend.

The celebs, also including Helen Flanagan and Shaun Ryder, got their first taste of life in camp on Sunday's show, but in reality, the series was filmed months ago, with Ant and Dec letting slip back in September that there were on location in South Africa to film.

READ MORE: I'm A Celebrity late arrivals: Gillian McKeith, Myleene Klass and Joe Swash tipped to join show.

With the whole of the All Stars run being completely pre-recorded, there is no public vote at all, in a huge break with tradition for I'm A Celebrity. And, as well as the public therefore having no say on who wins I'm A Celeb this time round, they also can't decide who does the trials either.

And the uncertainty surrounding the latter first raised its head during Tuesday night's show on ITV, when Ant and Dec revealed to those watching at home that the first trial was about to take place.

Teasing what was to come on set, Ant said: "It's time for the first trial of the series and the person doing it was chosen by Dec," provoking Dec to reply: "What?! I thought you were choosing who did it!"

Ant told his partner in crime: "No! I just read what's written on the card and as the hosts headed into camp, everyone watching at home was still none the wiser as to who made the call, as Jordan Banjo and Janice Dickinson were revealed to be the first two victims of the new series.

Baffled by what was going on, one viewer took to Twitter to react: "Is it ant and Dec choosing the celebs for the trials?" with a second tweeting: "So how do they decide who wins? Or who does the trials?"

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