Calls are being made for Ireland to be able to vote on I’m A Celeb after a brutal double elimination saw two of our stars sent home from the jungle.
Love Island star Maura Higgins and boxing legend Barry McGuigan were dramatically voted off the ITV programme on Thursday night after failing to win immunity and going straight into the Celebrity Cyclone challenge.
LET US VOTE
Despite the series airing on Virgin Media (and TV3) since its inception all the way back in 2002, Irish viewers have never been allowed to vote.
Leading the calls for voting to be made available for Irish viewers was Irish music duo Jedward, who compared Maura and Barry’s exits to their time on the X Factor in 2009.
‘If only Ireland could vote on I’m a celeb this would’ve never happened! It feels like when we were on X factor and Ireland couldn’t vote for us #ImACeleb,’ they said on X.
Following the news of who was going home, many disappointed viewers took to the site previously known as Twitter to have their say on why Irish fans should be allowed to have their say.
One person said: ‘Devastated for Barry and Maura but it was going to be an uphill battle as the Irish can’t vote and all the celebrities are so lovely.
‘They did us proud. Just hoping someone doesn’t win purely based on their fan base and not on their time on the show #ImACeleb #imacelebrity2024.’
Another added: ‘If the Irish were allowed vote Barry & Maura would be safe #ImACeleb.’
‘And see if you’re gonna have Irish Celebs the IRISH public should be allowed to vote as well #ImACeleb.’
IRISH IN THE JUNGLE
Westlife singer Kian Egan is the only person from our shores to ever win I’m A Celeb when he overcame stiff competition in 2013 from Royal fashion designer David Emanuel, Emmerdale’s Lucy Pargeter and TOWIE’s Joey Essex.
Since then, only a handful of Irish stars have competed on I’m A Celeb, starting with model Nadia Forde in 2014, who was the second celebrity to be evicted from the jungle that season.
Derry native and Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle and Dublin comedian Andrew Maxwell both appeared on the programme in 2019. Nadine finish in fifth place after Andrew placed second last in the season which was won by EastEnders’ Jacqueline Jossa.