I'm A Celebrity will be filmed in the UK for its 2020 series

I'm A Celebrity, I'm A Celebrity returns to Australia
(Image credit: ITV)

I'm A Celebrity won't be filmed in Australia this year as a result of the pandemic. Instead, it's a lot closer to home!

That's right, I'm A Celebrity is moving to the UK for its 2020 series, following ongoing travel restrictions.

The popular reality series is usually filmed in Australia, but lockdown restrictions made planning the usual show impossible.

Instead, Ant and Dec will be hosting the programme from a remote rural castle in Britain this year.

Since there's no jungles in the UK, celebrities will be competing for the new titles of King or Queen of the Castle. Rather appropriate!

To fight for the crown, they'll undertake gruelling trials and fun-filled challenges in an all-new location - for this series and next year's series of I'm A Celebrity 2021.

A jungle source told The Sun, “Planning the jungle - as with most other shows - has been very difficult as producers navigate a dynamic and fast changing situation."

They added, “What is OK one day, is impossible the next. The team have had many many different contingency plans in play to deal with all the various possibilities that COVID-19 has presented.

“However as time went on, it has become increasingly obvious that as one problem is solved, another appeared and there came a point where producers have to make tough decisions.”

I'm a Celebrity

Ant and Dec will return to presenting duties for the new series. (Credit: Getty Images)

Explaining the decision further, the source revealed that Australia has tightened their lockdown restrictions.

This included Queensland shutting their border with New South Wales, causing further travel complications.

Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Director of Television said, “We announced last week that we were doing all we could to make the series and I’m thrilled that we can bring the show to viewers albeit not in the jungle.

"We have a great team both on and off screen and I know they will produce a hugely entertaining series."

It's not yet known who will be competing in the new series, so stay tuned for more updates!

From What's on TV, our sister site.

Lucy Buglass
Digital Writer

Lucy Buglass is a Digital Writer for What's on TV, Goodto.com, and Woman&Home. After finishing her degree in Film Studies at Oxford Brookes University she moved to London to begin her career. She's passionate about entertainment and spends most of her free time watching Netflix series, BBC dramas, or going to the cinema to catch the latest film releases.