Dec Donnelly stopped I’m A Celebrity filming over fears for campmates

I’m A Celebrity host Dec Donnelly halted filming over hypothermia concerns

It has been revealed that Dec Donnelly previously stopped I’m A Celebrity filming over fears for the campmates.

The incident took place during the iconic Celebrity Cyclone trial back in 2020, with the host expressing concerns that the contestants were at risk of “getting hypothermia”.

What is usually a highlight of the show turned into one of the “worst nights” of Jordan North’s life due to the freezing cold conditions during the challenge.

The task involved him, Shane Richie, Vernon Kay, and Giovanna Fletcher navigating a slippery water slide while being hit with obstacles and slime in order to earn stars.

The trial took place at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, after the hit ITV show was relocated from its usual Australian jungle setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Speaking on the Capital Breakfast podcast, Jordan shared with co-hosts Chris Stark and Sian Welby: “In the cyclone in Wales, it looks amazing, doesn’t it?

“But let me tell you, it was genuinely one of the worst nights of my life. It was f****** freezing. I have never been so cold. To the point I was literally crying. For some reason, we put our pyjamas on underneath our wetsuits.

“We thought that would keep us warmer, Shane Richie told us to. So, it basically eliminated the whole purpose of a wetsuit.

“So, we were all there thinking, ‘Yes, we’ve nailed this.’ We were absolutely freezing, to the point the producers couldn’t understand. I remember [host] Dec stopping filming and being like, ‘What is up?’ and we were like, ‘We’re freezing.’ And Dec was like, ‘Let’s wrap this up, these guys are going to get hypothermia.’ It was horrific.”

Upon returning to the castle, the stars were forced to “peel” their sodden pyjamas from their bodies.

Jordan, who came in second place behind Queen of the Castle Giovanna, wouldn’t have participated in the programme had it been filmed in Australia due to his fear of flying at the time.

Moreover, he wouldn’t have enjoyed residing in the creature-infested jungle of Dungay, New South Wales. However, Jordan believes the show – which he describes as “the best thing that ever happened” to him – has significantly enhanced his self-assurance.

He explained: “If you knew me before, I just lived in a little safe lane and never did anything out of my comfort zone. I would never have hosted Jingle Bell Ball or anything like that. I would have been way too nervous.”

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! airs at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, while the Capital Breakfast: After The Show, Show! is available to listen to now on Global Player, and on all major podcast platforms