DUO DAMNED
I’m A Celebrity slammed with Ofcom complaints as furious viewers hit out at Ant and Dec’s jokes
Far from being an atheist, Declan Donnelly has strong roots in the church
I’M a Celebrity.. Get Me Out of Here has been besieged with ofcom complaints this series over Ant and Dec’s off colour jokes.
The ITV show is now mired in controversy, after hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, made a series of humorous comments about the bible and Christianity.
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Now the ITV show has been left fielding a cavalcade of complaints, after the Geordie duo appeared to make light of serious subject matter.
It all began when Reverand Richard Coles, a prominent Church of England figure and former Strictly contestant, entered the jungle alongside Love Island star Maura Higgins.
During an eating challenge featuring Coles, 62 and Higgins, 34, Dec joshed: “More tea vicar,” as a reference to Cole’s clerical role.
Host Dec, 49 later described the trials as “unholy," after which Ant added, “Bum holey.”
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The micky-taking mirth then escalated during an episode when Ant, 49, delivered a mock sermon about the Reverend Coles waking up in camp.
As Dec narrated, "It's the start of a new day now, and the first to wake up was Reverend Richard."
Ant then cut in, saying: "Though the night before there had been darkness and a plague of insects had been visited upon him but he had received a small bounty that did taste of cheese and praise be... he did rise again."
Then Dec retorted with, “'So basically you are saying Richard had a fright, got some crisps, then had a sleep and got out of bed?, to which Ant replied: "Yes my child."
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The cheeky duo also made prayers poses to choral music, while cracking up for the cameras.
While many clearly found the sketch amusing, others found it damning to the Church of England, which has led to some formal complaints to Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator.
Neither Ant and Dec nor ITV have issued a statement.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: 'We are assessing the complaints, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.'
Indeed Newcastle-born Dec, whose parents are from Northern Ireland, was raised in the Catholic church.
His late brother Dermott, with whom he was one of seven siblings, was a priest based with the rest of the family in the north east.
He tragically died at the age of 55 in 2022, after a short but serious illness.
Father Dermott was a regular visitor to his brother's London based shows.
Meanwhile the presenter travelled to the north-east frequently to attend Mass and support his brother’s youth projects for the deprived children of the city, on which he'd worked on tirelessly since the 90s.
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