The new I'm A Celebrity spin-off, The Wild Frontier, has been thrown into turmoil after a bear attack near the Canadian set triggered a camp lockdown. The series, which swaps the Australian jungle for the Canadian wilderness, has hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly returning, with stars like Louise Redknapp and Rio Ferdinand reportedly filming in the Callaghan Valley near Conflict Lake.
Bear attack prompts safety measures
According to The Sun, the celebrities are on high alert just hours after arriving, following a bear attack on a female hiker in the local area. The hiker was airlifted to hospital over the weekend, and an adult black bear found at the site was killed due to safety concerns.
An electric fence has reportedly been constructed around the campsite, with 'bear lockers' installed to house the camp's food. Filming is said to have begun on Monday, while Ant and Dec were on site on Sunday, just hours after the attack.
Ant and Dec tease new format
The spin-off was commissioned in May but kept under wraps until a recent tease from the Geordie duo. In a video, Ant revealed: 'Have a guess where we are? No, it's not Centre Parcs. We're in Canada!' Dec added: 'We are filming a brand new series from the I'm A Celebrity team and it's called I'm A Celebrity: The Wild Frontier. It's an exciting new format, loads of new trials and challenges and we cannot wait to bring it to you.'
Ant then shared the 'big twist': celebrities will enter and compete in pairs for the entire series. It's thought that Rio and Kate Ferdinand are one of the pairs, marking her return to reality TV alongside the football pundit. Early reports suggest the couple's fee could eclipse the £100,000 deals said to be agreed with former Westlife singer Brian McFadden and Boyzone star Keith Duffy, who are also rumoured to be joining the cast.
Safety warnings and live final
No official word has come from ITV on the line-up yet, but some reports claim newlyweds Venezuela Fury and Noah Price have been booked. Ant continued: 'And those duos better be ready because out here in the Canadian wilderness, danger lurks around every corner. One word – bears. It launches next year and there will be a live grand final from London where you will pick your winning duo.'
Dec joked: 'Bears? And a live final! This is more dangerous than I thought!' Celebs will face new challenges along with all the usual hardships of grim eating trials, creepy crawlies, and campmate spats.
This new series comes after ITV's hugely controversial all-star series in South Africa that saw explosive feuds and accusations of bullying. Winner Adam Thomas had a huge fallout on screen with Jimmy Bullard, leading to David Haye and the rest of camp weighing in loudly at the dramatic final. The Wild Frontier is rumoured to be airing next year to mark 25 years of I'm A Celebrity since it first launched in 2002.
