Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have been urged to step down from their hosting roles on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here ahead of the new series on Sunday. The presenting pair have fronted the programme, which sees TV stars rough it in the Australian jungle, for more than 20 years with them cheering on dozens of celebs as they take on the gruesome trials.
Many of the infamous Bushtucker Trials have involved the use of rats, snakes, spiders and other jungle critters, as well as live insects during the eating challenges. Ahead of the new series, which begins this weekend, animal rights charity PETA has published an open letter online, urging 46-year-old Ant and Dec, 47, to quit the show due to some of the trials, Liverpool Echo reports.
In the letter, from PETA's Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen, Ant and Dec are accused of being "complicit in cruelty to animals" on the ITV programme as various challenges include snakes, insects and other animals. The letter adds that Ant and Dec's hosting of the show sends a "message to viewers that you think animal abuse is not only acceptable but also entertaining".
Addressing the two directly, it continues: "For 20 years, you have been complicit in the 'bushtucker trials', standing by as animals of all descriptions are tormented – and even killed – for TV ratings. In this time, you must surely have become aware of the suffering, discomfort, and fear that these unwilling participants endure during the challenges. Ostriches, crocodiles, snakes, rats, and thousands of insects have been exploited for the show’s puerile pranks – and we fear that the upcoming series will be no different."
It then urges Ant and Dec to make the upcoming All Stars series of I'm A Celeb their last and says the move "would signal to the show’s producers that people aren’t going to stand for senseless cruelty to animals anymore and that it’s time to change". PETA's letter also says they have received more than 50,000 signatures on their petition, urging ITV to "stop abusing animals" on I'm A Celeb. The letter ends with: "So please, hang up your hats and get yourselves out of there – for animals’ sake."
A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity told the Mirror: "We are always fully transparent about our protocols and we have a very strict environmental plan in place on the show. As a production, we comply with all regional and national laws concerning the use of insects, animals and reptiles.
"Welfare and safety is always the primary priority on any of our programmes, and at any Bushtucker trial that features animals, we have qualified and experienced animal handlers on site at all times. We inform the RSPCA NSW of all of our activities on the show and they have an open invitation to attend the site at any time.
"We cannot stress enough that we have rigorous protocols in place to ensure that animals are handled safely at all times, before, during and after any filming has taken place, in compliance with all regional and national laws."
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