I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is set at Gwrych Castle in Abergale, North Wales this year for the first time ever, after show bosses decided to take drastic action due to travel restrictions as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
But while the Welsh countryside seems a lot tamer than the Australian Outback, the castle which this year’s batch of celebs will call home, was once considered a dangerous death trap.
Mirror Online reported that the building has undergone major renovations in recent years, after it fell into a state of disrepair.
The humongous property had once been a major tourist attraction at its prime, playing host to jousting tournaments and fairs up until the late 1980s.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here (Image: ITV)
There was a pool filled with dolphins, which attracted a plethora of visitors, until it was closed in 1987.
The castle was purchased by an American businessman in 1990 for £750,000 and it was last a residential property between 1993-1994.
But the property was later stripped off his assets and left to crumble.
The building was vandalised and looted and in the early 1990s, a warning was issued by Conwy Council after an incident took place.
The castle used to be unsafe
Emergency services were called to the castle after a passer-by reported hearing falling masonry and screaming children.
It was confirmed by rescue workers that there were no youngsters trapped by rubble, however, officials warned residents of the local area to stay away.
After leaving the building for many years to crumble, it was purchased by a luxury hotel group in 2007 and then plan was to spend £7million on renovations.
However after spending £500,000 on work on the property, the company went into administration and the property was saved by Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, which was given a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund to help with the building’s extensive repairs.
The property is now considered to be safe but relies on public donations to keep it going.
The property was taken over by a local trust
Last week, I’m A Celebrity boss Kevin Lygo confirmed that the line-up for this year’s series was complete.
He told The Sun that he was “excited” about this year’s new-look series.
Kevin shared: “I certainly didn’t want a year without I’m A Celebrity.”
“We could just about survive without it, but my God it’s a premier, wonderful thing that has done so well over a long period.
Referring to current travel restrictions, he added: “Australia was always going to be a challenge so we found this extraordinary place in go here in North Wales that’s a sort of beautiful, Disney drawn castle crumbling. We just thought it looks like perfect vacation.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
