So, the finale of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! has wrapped up, and honestly, it was pretty forgettable. The final episode felt flat and the winner, Morgan Burtwhistle (aka AngryGinge), was basically expected. No surprise then, that this year’s viewership dropped by a million compared to last season! With all the competition out there in the TV space, this jungle-stylish show’s run is slipping unless they give it a serious makeover.
After three weeks of campfire chat and some rather questionable meals, AngryGinge emerged as the king. Despite his chirpy persona, let’s be real — the guy seemed genuinely taken aback by his win. It’s safe to say he’ll be riding this wave of fame for as long as he can.
As the episode about to roll out lasted a lengthy 100 minutes, the bookies tipped AngryGinge for the crown. He had luck on his side after his rival, rapper Aitch, was eliminated surprisingly in the semi-finals. The final lineup wasn’t exactly bursting with variety, let’s put it that way.
This season was meant to celebrate its 25th year, but hardly anyone was talking about it. The Bushtucker Trials felt way too easy, and the campmates got along almost too well — which made for a boring viewing. The one whisper of romance was Aitch’s flirty antics with EastEnders star Shona McGarty, though that went nowhere. But drama? Hardly any, save for AngryGinge moaning about doing dishes, which barely piqued anyone’s interest.
But, this isn’t to say he didn’t throw some dramatics into the mix: his dish-related complaints almost tanked his popularity! Still, lacking any fierce competitors helped him breeze to victory.
Tom Read Wilson, who’s known for his charm on Celebs Go Dating, came in second and managed to leave his mark as one of the highlights. With an eloquent vocabulary and his quirky expressions, he clearly stood out from the crowd. In his exit interview, he teased his fondness for “polysyllables,” showing that the jungle can still find some subtly sophisticated characters.
His taste to end his journey in the jungle was leagues ahead of his fellow finalists. While the others opted for greasy cheeseburgers, he chose a fancy meal of smoked salmon and venison paired with some posh champagne. Sorry, but you won’t see that type of dinner on **Geordie Shore**!
Coming in third was Shona McGarty, marking the unfortunate reality where women are severely outnumbered in the final rankings – over the past decade, there have been 21 male finalists compared to only nine female ones! Only one Queen of the Jungle has claimed the crown in the past five years. It’s a man’s game, it seems, down under.
The casting this time was a bit bland. It didn’t help that lively characters like Ruby Wax and Kelly Brook got churned out too soon. Wax’s keen motherly bond with AngryGinge was one of the few gems that slipped through the cracks. After she was voted off, he lost more of his engaging quirkiness.
The final four turned out to be a typical lineup of ‘influencers’ and reality TV personalities, with the voting now only happening through the show’s official app, meaning younger players with huge social media followings have an edge. It’s been reported that about 13 million votes were cast in total, but ITV seriously has to rethink its contestant selection and the voting mechanics if they ever want to see some fresh variety again. Instead, we’re all watching a similar-looking group of self-proclaimed ‘family’ members claiming they’re going to be buds for life. Charming? Yes. Exciting? Not so much.
Moreover, the campmates had it pretty easy this season compared to earlier years. New rules meant no one could do more than two Bushtucker Trials in a row, robbing us of the classic squirming-along moments that used to be a show’s staple. The vibe shifted to more of an upbeat holiday atmosphere — with crew members casually discussing how well-fed they were while keeping their makeup and hair intact. The struggle of a high-end camping trip didn’t exactly give off major survival vibes!
Jack Osbourne, who’s known as “Jaquaman” after an underwater task, surprisingly let us down. He spent most of it looking pretty moody and gloomy. He scored the unfortunate seventh place, accompanying the exodus of several entertaining older contestants. The adventures lost steam after Kelly, Ruby, and Martin were voted off, leaving a youthful group low on charisma and life experience.
Comparing this with recent BBC hit The Celebrity Traitors didn’t do any favors for isn’t A Celebrity’s popularity. It stands stagnant and viewers are starting to notice. With a steadfast refusal to mix things up, the program seems to be too rigid for its own good. Even fellow long-running show Strictly revamped things by mixing in guest judges and new dance strategies!
Even the dynamic duo hosts, Ant and Dec, tried hard to inject some energy into the finale. Yet, their attempts fell flat with viewers. Repeatedly claiming there’s “never a dull moment on I’m a Celebrity” started to sound less like enthusiasm and more like self-deprecation. In truth, there were way too many yawns throughout! This final was simply bland. After decades on air, the franchise is starting to look seriously tired, and without immediate changes, it risks facing the unenviable fate of being left behind.
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