I’m A Celebrity viewers plummet by 3MILLION on last year as show returns to screens after being forced off air due to Storm Arwen

• As of Tuesday 30th November – the night the show returned to screens – overnight ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 5.44million viewers 
• Ratings dropped by a whopping 3 million compared to that of the previous series, which averaged at 8.4million 
• However in better news, I’m A Celebrity was the most watched of the terrestrial channels in its time slot with 33.3% and a peak of 5917.0
• It comes after the ITV show was forced off air for three nights after the extreme weather in Wales caused technical damage on set 

I’m A Celebrity viewing figures have continued to fall short compared to last year’s lockdown audience numbers as the show returned to air following the disruption caused by Storm Arwen.

As of Tuesday 30th November – the night the show returned to screens – overnight ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 5.44million viewers, dropping by a whopping 3 million compared to that of the previous series, which averaged at 8.4million. 

Things were no doubt not helped by the fact that I’m A Celebrity was taken off air for three days after Friday’s episode – with the overnight figures from that show coming in at 6.37million viewers.

Uh oh: I’m A Celebrity viewing figures have continued to fall short compared to last year’s lockdown audience numbers as the show returned to air following the disruption caused by Storm Arwen

This means that the show has dropped almost 1 million viewers in comparison to Friday’s episode, however in better news, I’m A Celebrity was the most watched of the terrestrial channels in its time slot with 33.3% and a peak of 5917.0.   

The viewership so far in the 2021 series pales into comparison to the ratings series 18 in 2018 – won by Harry Redknapp – which averaged a whopping 12.14.

Series three in 2004 also proved a hit with audiences with 11.02 million viewers when Kerry Katona became queen of the jungle and Katie Price and Peter Andre started their fiery romance.

Stats: As of Tuesday 30th November – the night the show returned to screens – overnight ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 5.44million viewers, dropping by a whopping 3 million compared to that of the previous series, which averaged at 8.4million

Oh dear: Things were no doubt not helped by the fact that I’m A Celebrity was taken off air for three days after Friday’s episode – with the overnight figures from that show coming in at 6.37million viewers

Also topping the charts with 11.14 million viewers was series 13 in 2013 when Westlife’s Kian Egan scooped the crown and Joey Essex famously asked if his water canister was a ‘man bag’. 

Series seven was a particularly bad year for I’m A Celeb viewer stats as only 7.45 million fans on average tuned into the show. 

Christopher Biggins charmed audiences to storm to victory in 2007’s flop series, with Katie Hopkins shocking viewers with her typically controversial comments. 

The last two series of I’m A Celeb have been filmed in the 200-year-old Gwrych Castle in Abergele, North Wales.

Positive: However in better news, I’m A Celebrity was the most watched of the terrestrial channels in its time slot with 33.3% and a peak of 5917.0

Nightmare: Amid Storm Arwen, it was thought that the gale at 70 mph knocked out satellite systems and caused huge technical disruption for the production crew 

Storm Arwen impact: The roofs were ripped off and canopies torn apart as the gales struck

Stars have been forced to endure freezing 8°C cold temperatures and no protection from the elements after bosses shelled out £1 million to secure use of the site when production was forced to be relocated from Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

And while the Welsh setting charmed captive audiences in lockdown during the popular 2020 series, it appears to be failing to peak the same interest this year.  

MailOnline contacted I’m A Celeb representatives regarding the figures on Friday, who said: ‘The launch audience for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! has so far risen to a peak of 11.3 million viewers, according to the latest available consolidated data.’ 

Gruelling: The viewership so far in the 2021 series pales into comparison to the ratings series 18 in 2018 – won by Harry Redknapp – which averaged a whopping 12.14

Taking into account on demand viewers, they added: ‘This represents a 2.3 million increase since the overnight peak audience, when catch up viewing so far is taken into account, showing that viewers are also catching at their own convenience after the main broadcast.’ 

They continued: ‘The full 7 day consolidated data for the launch will be available next Monday, however, based on currently available part consolidated data and Hub viewing, the average audience across the 100 minute opening episode has so far risen to nearly 10 million viewers.’ 

It comes after the ITV show was forced off air for three nights after the extreme weather in Wales caused technical damage on set and meant the celebrities had to be removed from their camp and returned to quarantine. 

Addressing the show’s return at the start of the programme, Dec quipped: ‘Hello! It’s been a crazy few days but the castle is back in business and the storm clouds have almost cleared on I’m A Celebrity!’  

Ant then added: ‘It feels so good to be back, we haven’t been with you since Friday as it caused a lot of damage the storm did. The castle was fine though, it turns out these places are built to last! We were working hard to get the show back up, and the team did an incredible job.’

We’re back! The I’m A Celebrity campmates returned to Gwrych Castle on Tuesday after being evacuated due to Storm Arwen and it didn’t take long for things to heat up (pictured are hosts Ant and Dec addressing the show’s return)

Meanwhile, with meals at stake after a weekend in the relative comfort of central heated isolation away from the makeshift camp, Arlene and Kadeena joined forces for the ominously named Bed Chamber Of Chills for Tuesday’s trial.

After their fellow campmates decided amongst themselves that Kadeena and Arlene would compete for stars in the latest trial, the two set off to meet hosts Ant and Dec.

They soon discovered that they would be hopping onto a bunkbed before being plunged into darkness to secure coveted stars as snakes slithered over them.

Reaction: However despite the scary trial, viewers were left underwhelmed with the show, branding it boring, while other even switched off entirely

However despite the scary trial, viewers were left underwhelmed with the show, branding it boring, while others even switched off entirely after complaining it was only five minuted longer than a normal episode after an entire three shows were missed.

‘It’s just not the same as the jungle. Huge disappointment,’ one fan fumed, while another wrote: ‘I’m A Celeb 2021 is officially dead.’

Another complained: ‘I don’t know why they bothered carrying on with this series. It’s so boring.’

Oh dear: Tuesday’s return episode saw Kadeena Cox breaking down after taking part in a tense Bushtucker trial

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