Nigel Farage desperate to do Bushtucker trials for 25% more of I'm A Celebrity's airtime

I'm A Celebrity's Nigel Farage wants to reach a 'whole new audience'

Nigel Farage is desperate for more airtime (ITV/Shutterstock)
Nigel Farage is desperate for more airtime (ITV/Shutterstock)

What did you miss?

Nigel Farage has revealed he wants to do the Bushtucker trials so he can get more airtime on I'm A Celebrity, saying: "If you do the challenges, it's 25% of the airtime."

Arguably the show's most controversial signing so far, it has been reported the former UKIP leader will pocket £1.5m for his reality TV stint.

His appearance has sparked furore from viewers, with many boycotting the show and viewers have nosedived compared to the launch of last series.

What, how and why?

Nigel Farage is keen to get stuck into the I'm A Celeb experience
Nigel Farage is keen to get stuck into the I'm A Celeb experience (ITV)

Farage looked disappointed when he wasn't chosen for the second Bushtucker trial No Time To Cry as the audience had selected easily terrified Nella Rose.

Later, the ex politician confided in fellow campmate and food critic Grace Dent that he wanted to do the Bushtucker trials.

The former leader of the Brexit party shared his hopes of reaching a whole new audience on TV.

He said: "If you do the challenges, it's 25% of the airtime. I'm looking at reaching a whole new audience."

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly mocked Farage as they said they were heading into camp to reveal who would be getting the next portion of the airtime.

"Shortly we'll be going into camp to reveal who'll be getting 25% of the airtime tomorrow," they giggled.

Farage was excluded from Wednesday's trial Climb of Cruelty on medical grounds (and Rose was too).

Instead Jamie Lynn Spears - who has been threatening to quit the show - will be taking on the latest Bushtucker challenge.

Elsewhere in the episode, ITV also suffered technical problems where the screens at home blacked out.

McPartlin joked they had lost "2%" of the airtime.

Social media was awash with I'm A Celebrity viewers urging others to stop voting for Farage to do the trials and to stop his airtime.

Others wrote: "Stop voting for nigel farage and giving him air time, he might be good at the trials and win over the public don’t fall for it."

"And so the British public will now do as they do in most elections, and not vote for Nigel Farage."

I'm A Celebrity's Ant and Dec are the cheeky hosts of the show  (ITV)
I'm A Celebrity's Ant and Dec love mocking Nigel Farage (ITV)

"Nigel farage whispering saying he wants air time so no one hears him but forgetting he’s got a mic attached to him."

"Nigel Farage was visibly upset that he wasn’t picked to do the challenge as he said “it’s 25% air time” that man is using this platform to make a political comeback. This man who has contributed to the worsening of this country."

"Nigel Farage gutted he’s missed out on 25% air time."

"Don’t vote for nigel farage to do the trials guys, he doesn’t need more air time just ignore him."

On the opening night, viewing figures were 2.2million down from last year's launch as it received a peak audience of 7.8million (average 7million).

While Matt Hancock starred on the series, he was a late arrival into the camp.

Viewing figures took a dive again as a further 1 million viewers turned the TV off on Monday.

Already Farage has showered totally naked shocking Josie Gibson and been locked in a bitter Brexit row with Fred Sirieix.

What else happened on I'm A Celebrity?

The 2023 I'm A Celebrity campmates
Another serious row has broken out in camp (ITV)

A huge row broke out between Nella Rose and Fred Sirieix - but it looks like they won't be making up any time soon.

The social media influencer was enraged when the First Dates star playfully said he was old enough to be her dad at 51. Rose took great offence because she said her dad had passed away.

When Sirieix tried to apologise, Rose said she accepted his apology but she made it clear she didn't want to be friends - or eat his food or be anywhere near him in camp.

Elsewhere in the episode, Rose called out I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here during the No Time To Cry trial where she was given electric shocks and in with huge spiders.

Plus, Jamie Lynn Spears threatened to quit because she was missing her children too much.

Read more: I'm A Celebrity

Watch former winner reveal why Nigel Farage will do all the Bushtucker trials