I’m A Celeb star AJ Pritchard has slammed the popular ITV reality show after he claimed his time in the castle was an “entertainment” version of the Australian classic.
The 27-year-old, who appeared in the gruelling show during the peak of the pandemic last November, confessed last year’s show wasn’t up to scratch in comparison to previous series of the show.
In the summer of 2020, ITV announced that they were going to go ahead with the hit reality show despite the increased Covid-19 restrictions as they moved the camp site from the centre of the Australian jungle to the heart of North Wales in Gwrych Castle.
Contestants were made to self-isolate for two weeks before they entered the castle grounds and due to the government restrictions, the production team were limited in terms of the typical Bushtucker Trials usually seen on the show.
(Image: ITV)
Now, as this year’s final looms ever closer, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional has shared how he feels the 21st series of the show compares to his time while he was in the castle.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star, he explained how last year’s show didn’t have the same standard of gruelling trials we are used to watching.
He admitted: “I feel like, especially last year, we did an ITV entertainment show in a castle. I don’t feel like we did I’m A Celebrity in Australia.
“I thought it was a different show in a weird way,” he confessed.
(Image: ITV)
After keeping up with this year’s instalment of the beloved ITV show, the ballroom dancer confessed he was glad to see the production team up the ante for this year’s line-up of celebrities.
He added: “I think the challenges are bigger and better now because of covid [restrictions eased] they can get a bit closer.
“When we did it, we couldn’t get close to anybody so we couldn’t put harnesses on, we couldn’t do certain things.
“So, it’s really nice seeing those big challenges are back.”
(Image: I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! /Youtube)
As he looked back at how the contestants have done so far in the heart of the castle grounds, he admitted that the stars are being put through their paces.
AJ went on: “They’re having it tough sleeping on the floor the whole time.
“Yes, they have had two days off where they are free to eat up and get warm again, but they’re having it tough and that’s good.
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“We don’t want them to have it easy, we want them to have it hard.”
It comes after the contestants were forced to leave the castle one week into filming due to Storm Arwen who hit North Wales and forced the production crew to come off air for three days to restore the set to its former glory.
I’m A Celebrity airs weekdays on ITV at 9pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
