I'm A Celebrity bosses axe family reunion plans

2 December 2020

'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' bosses have reportedly scrapped plans for family reunions on this year's series.

Vernon Kay

Producers of the ITV reality show were looking to allow a relative or close friend of each of the remaining campmates - which could include the likes of Shane Richie, Vernon Kay and Giovanna Fletcher - into the castle over the final two days, but they have decided to axe the segment due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An insider told The Sun newspaper: "ITV were desperate to include the segment as it is always really sweet and heart-warming.

“It’s also a nice lift for the celebs who are fed up after three weeks of rations and being away from family.

“But this year they’ve realised with Covid rules and restrictions, it’s just too much of a logistical headache, so have had to knock it on the head.”

The restrictions also mean that for the first time in the show's history the winner will not be met by a loved one as they leave the camp.

Instead, the King or Queen of the Castle will spend a night at the Carden Park Hotel in Cheshire for TV interviews, and then be driven to London for Vick Hope's 'The Daily Drop' spin-off show.

This year's series of the hit show has been moved from the Australian jungle to a castle in Wales due to the coronavirus crisis.

The programme's hosts, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, recently admitted the stars are so cold that they "never" warm up.

Ant said: "We’ve spoken to them down at trials and we said, ‘Is it cold in there?’ and they said it’s that cold that you never, ever get warm.

"Even at night. It’s in your bones. You know when you’ve been out all day walking and you’re cold and it’s in your bones, it’s like that – day in, day out.”

Dec also admitted that taking a shower isn't even helping them to keep warm.

He shared: "They’ve got a warm shower that they have to pump themselves, and keep the fire going to keep it warm, but they said even when they have a warm shower, you immediately get cold again, you can never quite warm up."