Ant McPartlin's I'm A Celebrity return show shed almost ONE MILLION viewers compared to Holly Willoughby's debut episode in 2018

  • The launch programme, which was broadcast over one hour and 45 minutes, peaked at 11 million viewers, according to ITV 
  • This is still ITV's biggest overnight audience so far this year 
  • Last year, the show returned to ITV with an 11.9m audience peak - the fourth-largest audience for the launch in the programme’s history

By Rebecca Davison for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

The launch of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! shed one million viewers compared to the first episode of 2018, as Ant McPartlin made his return to the show.

Ten million viewers tuned in to Sunday’s episode, which saw McPartlin reunite with co-host Declan Donnelly and stars including Caitlyn Jenner, Ian Wright and Kate Garraway enter the jungle.

The launch programme, which was broadcast over one hour and 45 minutes, peaked at 11 million viewers, according to ITV.

Oh dear: I’m A Celebrity's launch show on Sunday shed almost ONE MILLION viewers compared to the first episode of 2018 as Ant McPartlin (left) made his return

Oh dear: I’m A Celebrity's launch show on Sunday night shed almost ONE MILLION viewers compared to the first episode of 2018 as Ant McPartlin (left) made his return

Last year, the show returned to ITV with an 11.9m audience peak/ 11million average without Ant as Holly Willoughby stood in for him for one series.  

The This Morning host, who filled in while McPartlin stepped back from his TV commitments following a drink-driving arrest, proved to be a lucky charm for I’m A Celebrity, with the show enjoying its most-watched launch since 2013.

It was the fourth-largest audience for the launch in the programme’s history.

Fans love her: Last year's opening show had 0.9 million more viewers and featured Holly Willoughby as a stand-in

Fans love her: Last year's opening show had 0.9 million more viewers and featured Holly Willoughby as a stand-in

The ITV reality show’s biggest-ever overnight opener was in 2013, when 12 million people tuned in.

A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity... told MailOnline: 'Last night I'm A Celebrity launched with 10.0m TV viewers (47% share), with an additional 0.2m viewers watching via Non TV devices.

'This takes the total average audience up to 10.2m viewers. It peaked with 11.0m viewers. This is ITV's biggest overnight audience so far this year. 

A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity... told MailOnline: 'Last night I'm A Celebrity launched with 10.0m TV viewers (47% share), with an additional 0.2m viewers watching via Non TV devices

 A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity... told MailOnline: 'Last night I'm A Celebrity launched with 10.0m TV viewers (47% share), with an additional 0.2m viewers watching via Non TV devices

'For 16-34s it had 2.7m viewers with a 73% share, making it the most watched programme for 16-34s so far this year.'

Sunday’s episode saw this year’s celebrity camp-mates - who also includes ex-Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, radio DJ Roman Kemp, former rugby player James Haskell and ex-EastEnder Jacqueline Jossa - competing in a swimming race which determined how they would be paired up.

The duos then had to fight it out to become power pairs, who would not only have better living conditions in the jungle but would be able to decide the other celebrities’ fates over the first few days.

The group was divided, with some campers having to walk the plank 334ft in the air, and Jenner and Coyle doing a skydive from 10,000ft.

I’m A Celebrity continues on ITV on Monday at 9pm.  

This will get the ratings up: Kate Garraway looked PETRIFIED when she was locked in a box with creepy crawlies alongside Caitlyn Jenner during the first I'm A Celeb Bushtucker Trial which will air on Monday

This will get the ratings up: Kate Garraway looked PETRIFIED when she was locked in a box with creepy crawlies alongside Caitlyn Jenner during the first I'm A Celeb Bushtucker Trial which will air on Monday

Caitlyn Jenner

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