Opinion

Marie Louise McConville: I'm A Celebrity set to return – get me out of here!

I'm A Celebrity is set to return for yet another new series next month - I'm bored already. Picture by Nigel Wright
I'm A Celebrity is set to return for yet another new series next month - I'm bored already. Picture by Nigel Wright I'm A Celebrity is set to return for yet another new series next month - I'm bored already. Picture by Nigel Wright

I'M already bored.

The show hasn't even started yet and I'm already sick and tired of the flipping advert.

For what seems like the 100th year in a row, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is about to return for yet another new series and I don't know why.

Don't get me wrong, back in 2002, when we were first introduced to this new style of reality TV, it was awesome.

Contestants included Uri Geller, Christine Hamilton and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and millions of us watched in amazement as the famous faces completed disgusting trials including Snake Surprise, Buried Alive and Stinking Swamp and were forced to live in a jungle. It was amazing.

There was just something about seeing these celebrities squirm which made for great TV and when DJ Tony Blackburn emerged as King of Jungle, it was a great conclusion.

In the years that followed, huge numbers of us continued to tune in and during that time we witnessed some pretty iconic moments including Katie Price and Peter Andre falling in love, Myleene Klass in the shower in her white bikini, and Gillian McKeith fainting.

But the Bushtucker Trials seemed to be the same every year.

There was a menu made up of fish eyes, pig anuses, crocodile testicles and live spiders but to he honest, seeing it done the first time was enough. There was no shock after that.

And now, 20 years on from the first series, a new advert is running on TV – on what seems like a loop – once again featuring Ant and Dec and the same old story for the upcoming season.

In the commercial, we see Ant jumping out of a helicopter strapped to his parachute and soon after, Dec follows suit because they both have to do everything together.

When the parachutes open up, the viewers are informed `We're Back' and each time I see it, my heart sinks a little.

We're then informed that the show is returning next month.

Maybe it's just me, but I could do without it.

It's the same every year – friendly celebs turn into fighting celebs, they have to eat some bugs, sleep in a bunk and, eventually, become hungry.

Rumoured contestants this year include singer Boy George, England rugby union World Cup winner Mike Tindall, Corrie's Sue Cleaver, former Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, Olympic swimmer Tom Daly and Hollyoaks star Owen Warner.

There's also a few others who I don't know.

Soon, there will be nothing worthwhile at all to watch on TV.

Of course, it doesn't help that someone has started leaking the Strictly scores ahead of the results show. Why are some people so mean?

I'll not be tuning in for the new series of I'm A Celebrity, I could probably write the script in advance.

I've had enough of Ant and Dec and all these pointless celebrities.

I've just have to find some similar entertainment elsewhere – maybe I'll watch some paint dry.

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A packed two-week programme of spooky events kicks off this weekend at Let's Go Hydro in south Belfast.

With 28 spine-tingling Horror-Week Drive-In screenings, the return of the Millbank Farm Pumpkin Patch and Spookfest, and a spectacular fireworks display, there’s fun for all the family.

Drive-in movies include The Exorcist, IT and Ghostbusters, while the Pumpkin Patch and Spookfest is offering haycart rides, spooky characters, ghost stories, an arts and crafts tipi, and pumpkin carving.

And, on Halloween night, a spectacular fireworks display will take place.

Full details are available at letsgohydro.com/halloween.

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Check out the full range of Elave’s skincare formulations at gardinerfamilyapothecary.com.

I have five Elave Sensitive Skin Balancing Essentials packs to give away.

If you would like the chance to win a pack, simply email your name, address and telephone number – along with the answer to the question below – to competitions@irishnews.com.

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(Q) How many items are included in the Elave Sensitive Skin Balancing Essentials set?

Normal Irish News rules apply.

COMPETITION WINNERS

The winners of W5 competition are Marie McGreevy from Banbridge and Patrick Higgins from Belfast.