‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ will be filmed in North Wales.
As per The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column, this year’s celebrity campmates will be swapping kangaroo balls for sheep balls when the series returns to screens later this year.
Instead of jetting Down Under, the stars and presenters Ant and Dec will be heading to the the village of LlanfairÂpwllgwyngyllÂgogeryÂchwyrnÂdrobwllÂllanÂtysilioÂgogoÂgoch to a castle ruin, after the Covid-19 pandemic prevented the reality programme from being filmed out in New South Wales.
A source told the tabloid: "Ant and Dec and the same production team are all on board and everyone is 110 per cent dedicated to making this series as brilliant as all the others."
Producers at ITV decided there was no choice but to make a different "contingency plan" with the situation in Oz changing daily amid the global health pandemic.
The source explained: "It’s been a dynamic and fast-changing situation. 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 became increasingly obvious that as one problem is solved, another appeared and there came a point where producers had to make tough decisions."
Filming in the UK means there will be a bigger pot of cash to spend on getting big names to compete on the show.
However, the fact that they won’t get to fly off to sunny Australia and will have to film in wintery conditions in Wales, may put some stars off.
A source said: "Let’s be honest — going to Australia, taking the family and staying at the five-star Versace hotel is a pretty appealing proposition.
"The reality is Wales in November isn’t going to have anything like the same sort of draw.
"So it might well come down to cash deals on offer to stop people saying they’d rather not bother this year.
"Hopefully the extra budget will help make it a bumper year — and it’s also about getting the right mix, not just the biggest names."
ITV confirmed the location change on Friday (07.08.20).
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."
What’s more, instead of being crowned King or Queen of the Jungle, the winner will be hailed King or Queen of the Castle.
Former ‘EastEnders’ actress Jacqueline Jossa won the 2019 series.