Chris Ramsey has been dropped from ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ spin-off ‘Extra Camp’.
The 31-year-old comedian has been given the axe from the ITV2 programme as part of a major overhaul of the show, and the news comes in the wake of former Jungle Queen Vicky Pattison also being ditched, leaving real-life couple Joe Swash and Stacey Solomon as the current only hosts.
But the pair won’t be co-hosting alone as producers will be bringing in some as-yet unannounced new faces, and are even considering changing the name of the popular programme.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Bosses love the ‘Extra Camp’ format and think it’s a great part of the whole ‘I’m A Celebrity…’ package, but they felt it could do with a shake-up.
"Obviously Ant and Dec are always going to be the hosts of the main show, but producers have tended to tinker around with ‘Extra Camp’, changing hosts, tweaking the format and even changing the name.
"Unfortunately Chris is going to be one of those to face the axe, along with Vicky, but bosses very much enjoyed working with him."
Chris is unlikely to be too upset to be missing the jaunt to Australia because while his spokesperson confirmed he won’t be back, she revealed he’ll be busy working on a Comedy Central project when ‘I’m A Celebrity…’ takes place.
The representative added: "He loves the show so will definitely make time to catch up and knows the new team will have a brilliant time like he did."
It isn’t only the format of the spin-off show that is currently looking uncertain, because it isn’t yet clear whether Ant McPartlin – who went into rehab for treatment for painkiller addiction earlier this year – will be given the go ahead by doctors to front the main programme alongside Declan Donnelly.
Ant said recently: "Doctors wouldn’t sign it off today because I’m not fully fit yet.
"I’m recovering really well, ahead of schedule slightly.
But do I want to be on screen? Good God, yes.
"In the past I would have gone against doctors’ advice and just done it. Now I have to sit back."