Former I’m A Celebrity star Lynne Franks has criticized the ITV show, admitting that she regrets her decision to participate.
The 75-year-old PR guru appeared on the seventh series of the program in 2007, finishing in third place.
After watching the current season from home, Lynne took to X last night to voice her disapproval of the show.
This came after Chris Packham, a 62-year-old presenter, wrote an open letter to Ant and Dec, urging them to stop using animals and insects in Bushtucker Trials.
Responding to Chris, Lynne commented, “Appalling treatment of humans too. Horrible this year – and I speak as someone who was stupid enough to go on many years ago!”
In his critique, Chris accused the show of being “grotesque” for its continued exploitation of animals.
However, ITV released a statement today, emphasizing that the welfare and safety of both humans and animals are always their top priority.
The network stated that they have protocols in place that comply with regional and national laws in Australia, where the show is filmed.
A spokesperson for ITV added, “We have a very strict environmental plan in place on the show. Welfare and safety are always the primary priority on any of our programs. At any Bushtucker trial that features animals, we have qualified and experienced animal handlers on site at all times.”
This is not the first time Chris has criticized I’m A Celebrity. He previously voiced his concerns in 2019.
In his open letter, he questioned what Dec’s daughter would think about the use of animals in the series.
The letter has gained significant attention, reaching 1.5 million people and being reposted by 10,000 individuals.
