I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! fans will have to wait a little longer for its return.
ITV bosses are postponing the start date of this year’s series due to a major scheduling clash.
According to reports in The Sun, the broadcaster made the decision after purchasing the rights to the UEFA Nations League.
The biennial football tournament begins on 24 September and will conclude on 17 November. Thomas Tuchel’s England team will take on World Cup winners Spain on Sunday 15 November.
The match will kick off at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano arena in Madrid at 8.45pm – just 15 minutes before ITV was reportedly scheduled to air the launch episode of its flagship reality show in the primetime Sunday viewing slot.
I’m a Celeb… will now begin the following night on Monday 16 November at 9pm, as reported by The Sun.
A source told the outlet: “I’m a Celeb has always benefited from the Sunday night primetime slot, but this year it’s all change.
“Now ITV has the rights to the UEFA Nations League bosses have had to go back to the drawing board.”
open image in galleryA second source said that “bosses have pulled out all the stops to ensure this year’s IAC launch show is must-see TV”.
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While Ant McPartlin and Declan Connelly will return as the show’s hosts as usual, the line-up of celebrities is yet to be announced.
ITV is facing renewed pressure to pull together an impressive list of famous faces due to the high calibre of stars the BBC has managed to recruit for The Celebrity Traitors, which includes Richard E Grant, Miranda Hart, and HBO star Bella Ramsey.
open image in galleryRumour has it that ITV are circling famous faces such as Paralympian Ade Adepitan, Olympic skater Christopher Dean, Mis-Teeq singer Su-Elise Nash, cricketer Ben Stokes, and former Love Islander Olivia Attwood.
Show bosses have also allegedly set their sights on Nadiya Bychkova, hoping to poach the former Strictly Come Dancing professional from her previous home at the BBC.
The Sun also reported last week that YouTube star Sharky (real name Shamarke Mohamud) is in talks to join the programme, with ITV bosses hoping his presence in the jungle will attract a younger audience in the same way of Angry Ginge last season.
Last month, Princess and Junior Andre – the children of Katie Price and Peter Andre – addressed questions as to whether they would consider joining the same show on which their parents met back in 2004.
“I think we would do it,” said Princess, with Junior agreeing. “And we’d do it together.”