All the things the I’m A Celebrity live final had to scrap because of coronavirus
The final of I’m A Celeb looked a lot different this year – not just because the show was live from Wales instead of Australia – with reunions, hugs and celebrations off the cards
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The 2020 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! reached a climax on Friday night – but things were a little different compared to normal crowning ceremonies and not just because the show has been set in Wales.
Normally, a champion is voted for by the public and there is a long-held tradition that they walk across a intimidating jungle bridge to be greeted by loved ones and hosts Ant and Dec.
But this being 2020, and the coronavirus pandemic still gripping the world, celebrations were very different for season 20 finale of the long-running ITV reality show.
The series was redirected to Wales where the show was filmed at Gwrych Castle as opposed to the Australian jungle due to the pandemic making travel Down Under an impossibility.
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But while ITV would normally fly the families of finalists out to Australia so the winner would be greeted by their loved ones, there was no such personal touch to the 2020 series.
Although Wales, UK, is considerably closer than New South Wales, Australia, the pandemic meant that family members could not be brought to set due to Covid-19 safety concerns.
This measure also extended to past winners being on site to crown the new winner – with ITV ruling the risk was too high to bring in 2019 winner Jacqueline Jossa to crown Giovanna Fletcher the first Queen of the Castle.
Instead, runner up Vernon Kay had the honour of placing the crown on Giovanna’s head.
Meanwhile, the traditional reunion of past contestants from the series was also binned – with the other stars who had been booted from the show appearing via Skype on screens stuck to a wall.
Even a hug from hosts Ant and Dec was ruled out when the show came to an end on Friday night.
It is also unlikely that a wrap party – a boozy knees up for cast and crew to celebrate the end of the season – will go ahead amid the ongoing health crisis.
I’m A Celeb is due to return in 2021 – with ITV reportedly planning to continue filming in Wales as the outlook for travel for next year is still uncertain despite a Covid-19 vaccine being approved in the UK.
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