I'm A Celebrity: ITV confirm show will moves to Gwrych Castle in Wales

3 years ago 271
Gwrych CastleImage copyright Karen Kenworthy Image caption The castle near Abergele was built in the early 19th Century

The next series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will be filmed at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, ITV has confirmed.

The long-running reality show has had to relocate from Australia this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ant and Dec will return as hosts, and the winner will be crowned the King or Queen of the Castle (instead of the Jungle).

The celebrities taking part in the 2020 series have yet to be announced.

Gwrych Castle, meaning "Hedge Castle" in Welsh, was built on the site of a late medieval fortress near Abergele, on the north coast of Wales, between 1812 and 1822 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh as a memorial to his mother's ancestors, the Lloyds of Gwrych.

The castle is set amongst 250 acres of gardens and grounds and overlooks the Irish Sea.

The relocation of I'm A Celebrity... to the UK was confirmed by ITV earlier this month.

"Our celebrities will probably have to swap shorts for thermals," said ITV Studios' director of entertainment Richard Cowles,"but they can still look forward to a basic diet of rice and beans and plenty of thrills and surprises along the way."

However, the exact location for the show was not confirmed by the broadcaster until Thursday.

Image copyright PA Image caption Ant (left) and Dec could be hosting the 20th series from north Wales

Dr Mark Baker, Chair of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust said he was "absolutely delighted" that ITV had chosen the historic building as a location.

"I'm A Celebrity being here will really help support Gwrych Castle and its ongoing restoration as well as giving the region a much-needed economic boost," he said.

Lord Elis-Thomas, The Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism said: "We're extremely pleased to welcome such a large production to Wales, offering a chance to showcase a spectacular part of our country to significant audiences across the UK."

I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here is one of ITV's most popular shows and sees famous contestants face tough trials and challenges to win food and treats for their camp.

It has been broadcast on ITV since 2002, when Tony Blackburn was crowned the first King of the Jungle.

The 2019 launch show was ITV's most-watched programme of the year, seen by more than 13 million people.

That made it the UK's most popular reality show, with more viewers than the top-rated episodes of Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's Got Talent and The Great British Bake Off last year.

The series was won by former EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa.

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