The first episode of the new series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! had more than two million fewer viewers than last year.
An average of seven million viewers watched the return of the show on Sunday night, according to overnight ratings, and ITV reported a peak audience of 7.8 million.
The ITV1 show, which this year includes former Ukip and Brexit party leader Nigel Farage and Jamie Lynn Spears, began at 9pm and ended at 10.45pm.
The first episode of the 2022 series had an average audience of 9.1 million and a peak viewership of 10.3 million, according to ITV overnight ratings.
Ahead of the first episode, ITV received thousands of complaints and threats of boycotts over Farage’s inclusion on the show.
Stand-up comic London Hughes and Kathy Burke were among those calling for fans of the show to turn off on Sunday night, decrying ITV for “platforming a racist as a form of entertainment”.
In Monday’s episode, Farage and YouTuber Nella Rose will face a bushtucker eating trial, called the Jungle Pizzeria, following a public vote.
When Farage first entered the jungle, he met This Morning host Josie Gibson who made a joke about the UK leaving the European Union, which the former MEP-turned-GB News presenter campaigned heavily for.
Explaining entering the reality competition, the 59-year-old said: “It’s not (going to) be easy, but why not?”
Gibson, 38, replied saying: “Can’t be worse than Brexit!”
Farage said it “didn’t take long”, before adding: “I had a feeling we’d get a bit of that.”
In an introduction video, he also told viewers “in the jungle you’re going to find the real me”.
Presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly also made several jokes about Farage during the opening episode of the 23rd series.
They offered an apology to GB News viewers for the fact he will not be presenting his programme while he is away in Australia.
The Geordie duo said: “Sorry Keith, sorry Linda.”
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