Why I'm A Celebrity 2020 Has Been So Watered Down This Year

Between a global pandemic and a country in the midst of a lockdown, ITV was still somehow able to cheekily secure a location for the twentieth edition of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here. And, while that may be a lifesaver for most of us, who are pretty much camped out on our own sofas eating microwave pizzas most days; it's just not really the same vibe as the previous years in the jungle. Or castle, as this year has shown us.

Since its debut launch in the early noughties, I'm A Celeb has continued to smash TV boundaries and deliver gold in many different forms; whether it being savage bushtucker trials involving armies of tarantulas, or caskets swilling with Burmese pythons. One thing's for sure — I'm A Celeb has always pushed the boat out with its innovative ideas. Only, this year hasn't quite reached the same standard, and fans are concerned over the slight decrease in entertainment value.

Over the course of three weeks, the public idle over the lives of twelve celebrities and cast votes over who should participate in what trial. And, going on by what the public has done over the last twenty series, we, the people, have always picked the celebrities worst fears and suited them with the appropriate trials. Whether it be an irrational fear of spiders or a serious case of claustrophobia; the British public has always been evil enough to choose the worst candidate for the job. And, you know — it's always been a joy to watch.

But what is missing this year?

It's not only the loss of Australia and its exotic surroundings this year though, is it? In fact, it's much more than that. It's the abrupt decision to remove critters and replace them with fish guts instead. It's the dicing of nailbiting trials and replacing them with cookie-cutter filler tasks that, after a week, sort of just grow tiresome. Take the mealworms, for example. There are only so many times we can gawp at a pit full of mealworms before it just sort of makes us think, "you know what, I could probably give that a whirl."

There is a massive decline in danger and a whole lot more answering questions and hitting piñatas with foam swords. And, while it may be relatively entertaining watching Mo Farrah trying to figure out where Wales is on a map of the UK, it still doesn't quite come up to scratch compared to previous instalments of the much-loved series.

A few years ago, we saw the death-defying stunt which involved the likes of a bus hanging from a cliff, and an ocean of palm-sized tarantulas. But this year, the worst we've seen is Shane Riche drinking essence of pigs vagina. Again, mildly entertaining — but where is the beef?

One thing we do know is that in recent weeks, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has stepped up and spoken out against the usage of critters in the show. And, it's mostly because of them, that many bushtucker trails have had to be watered down so the show can avoid further conflict with the organization and potential banning from the network.

Unsurprisingly, this debate between ITV and PETA soon sparked outrage to many long-term fans of the show, with some claiming that the original feel for the series has faded dramatically. And, while ITV is toying with the potential ideas for future trials, it is likely that moving forward, all tasks will be filtered down versions of the things many people usually adore.

Of course, while the public very much respects the critters featured on the show; removing them entirely definitely seemed to be ITV's wildcard that hasn't proven too positive for watchers.

This, along with the restrictions put in place thanks to COVID-19 and a rather dull setting, all bunch together to create a rather underwhelming year in the "jungle" compared to the rest. But then, I suppose we should all thank ITV for managing to pull it off this year, to begin with. We can't help but take our hats off to them for that. And maybe, just maybe — 2021 will be their year to forge the resurrection of the iconic Australian extravaganza. Just maybe.

I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV at 9pm daily.