Tomorrow night I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! will return to ITV. At 9pm, viewers will be able to tune in to see some of the UK's favourite celebs taking on Bushtucker trials.
After being moved to Wales for Covid, the show will be making a hotly-anticipated return to Australia. The new series will feature celebrities like Mike Tindall, Boy George, Olivia Attwood, Sue Cleaver and Charlene White.
But while millions of Brits can't wait for the return of the show, others aren't quite so excited. A petition has been launched to urge presenters Ant and Dec to quit the show after 20 years of presenting it.
READ MORE: Aldi shoppers go wild as supermarket launches Ninja air fryer dupe that's £140 cheaper
Animal rights charity PETA have published an open letter and petition online, urging 46-year-old Ant and Dec, 47, to quit the show due to some of the trials. In the letter, from PETA's Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen, Ant and Dec are accused of being "complicit in cruelty to animals" on the ITV programme as various challenges include snakes, insects and other animals.
The scathing letter adds that Ant and Dec's hosting of the show sends a "message to viewers that you think animal abuse is not only acceptable but also entertaining". It adds: "For 20 years, you have been complicit in the 'bushtucker trials', standing by as animals of all descriptions are tormented – and even killed – for TV ratings.
"In this time, you must surely have become aware of the suffering, discomfort, and fear that these unwilling participants endure during the challenges. Ostriches, crocodiles, snakes, rats, and thousands of insects have been exploited for the show’s puerile pranks – and we fear that the upcoming series will be no different."
The note also adds that the show could come up with "clever and captivating tasks that harm no animals". It then urges Ant and Dec to make the upcoming All Stars series of I'm A Celeb their last and says the move "would signal to the show’s producers that people aren’t going to stand for senseless cruelty to animals anymore and that it’s time to change".
PETA's letter also says they have received more than 50,000 signatures on their petition, urging ITV to "stop abusing animals" on I'm A Celeb. The letter ends with: "So please, hang up your hats and get yourselves out of there – for animals’ sake."
A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity told the Mirror : "We are always fully transparent about our protocols and we have a very strict environmental plan in place on the show. As a production, we comply with all regional and national laws concerning the use of insects, animals and reptiles.
"Welfare and safety is always the primary priority on any of our programmes, and at any Bushtucker trial that features animals, we have qualified and experienced animal handlers on site at all times. We inform the RSPCA NSW of all of our activities on the show and they have an open invitation to attend the site at any time.
"We cannot stress enough that we have rigorous protocols in place to ensure that animals are handled safely at all times, before, during and after any filming has taken place, in compliance with all regional and national laws."
READ NEXT:
- Aldi shoppers go wild for £30 homeware Special Buy that's 'the same as' £300 designer version
-
Argos and Amazon shoppers go wild for £56 oven that costs less than an air fryer to run
-
Aldi introduces new policy that affects all of its 900+ UK stores
-
McDonald's fans 'shaken to the core' after learning what's put in Sweet 'n' Sour dip
-
Shein shopper in awe of £8 dress that looks SO expensive people think its £1000 Chanel
