From Jungle Floods to Lightning Strikes: The Show Faces Its Biggest Challenge Yet – Hosts Ant and Dec Scramble as Celebrities Huddle in Bunkers

The I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! production has been plunged into chaos just hours before Monday night’s live eviction episode, with the entire Springbrook camp evacuated for the second time in a week due to severe weather warnings. Torrential rain and lightning strikes forced the shutdown of the Australian jungle set, leaving celebrities including Aitch, Shona McGarty, and Ruby Wax huddled in emergency bunkers while hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly scrambled to salvage the broadcast from a backup studio. “This is unprecedented,” an ITV spokesperson confirmed. “Safety first – the storm’s too dangerous to continue.” As the show grapples with its biggest logistical nightmare, fans are furious, viewing it as the “second disaster” after last week’s Dingo Dollar fiasco, and demanding refunds for the disrupted viewing experience.

The evacuation began at 4:15 p.m. local time (2:15 a.m. GMT), when MetService Australia issued a Level 4 lightning risk alert for the Springbrook National Park area. Production crews, monitoring radar from a mobile command center, had just 15 minutes to usher 12 celebrities and 20 staff into reinforced bunkers – concrete shelters equipped with emergency rations and satellite phones. “It was pandemonium,” a source told The Sun. “Aitch was mid-interview for the Bush Telegraph when the siren blared. Everyone bolted – no time for cameras or mics.” Lightning forked across the sky, striking within 500 meters of the camp, while 80mm of rain fell in an hour, turning the dry creek beds into raging torrents.

This marks the second major disruption in days. On Tuesday, flash floods from Tropical Cyclone Kirrily’s remnants forced a four-hour shutdown, cancelling the scheduled “Viper Vault” trial and leaving campmates without food. “We’re soaked, starving, and now zapped by lightning – this isn’t camping, it’s survival mode,” Shona McGarty vented in a leaked confessional. The celebrities, including newcomers Tom Read Wilson and Kelly Brook, were relocated to a safe house in Murwillumbah, 20km away, where they spent the night playing cards and sharing “what if” stories about the jungle curse.

Ant and Dec, the show’s unflappable hosts since 2002, addressed the crisis from a backup studio in Brisbane. “The jungle’s fighting back harder than ever,” Ant joked during a pre-recorded link, but Dec’s tone was serious: “Our celebs are safe, but this storm’s a beast. We’re doing everything to get back on air.” The eviction episode, featuring a public vote on who leaves next, will now air delayed from the safe house, with producers scrambling to film challenges in a makeshift “jungle lite” setup. “It’s not ideal, but the show’s spirit endures,” an ITV exec said.

Fans are incensed. #ImACelebEvacuation trended with 1.5 million posts, many demanding “fair play” for the contestants. “Second disaster in a week? This is sabotage – give them the stars they earned!” one tweeted. Ofcom complaints hit 800, citing “viewer frustration” over disrupted schedules. The storm, part of a La Niña pattern bringing extreme weather to Queensland, has delayed flights and closed roads, stranding crew families.

As the celebs hunker down – Aitch reportedly leading singalongs to “Don’t Look Back in Anger” – one thing’s clear: the jungle’s trials aren’t just on-screen anymore. With Week 4 looming, I’m a Celeb must weather this storm – or risk losing its magic. For now, the stars shine brighter in bunkers than they do under thunderclouds.