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Fans blast 'cruel' I'm a Celeb ice challenge: 'Too far'
I’m a Celebrity fans were left gobsmacked last night after they watched four of their favourite celebs undergo a challenge so gruelling, each needed to seek medical attention after.
Grant Denyer, Jack Vidgen, Pettifleur Berenger and Travis Varcoe were tasked with submerging themselves in ice water in order to pump water using a lever located at the bottom of the tank.
As the challenge progressed, each contestant struggled with the sub-zero temperatures, gradually becoming red and barely able to speak, though all four stayed in the tanks until the bitter, and freezing, end.
Afterwards, each of them was wrapped in a shock blanket as they struggled to combat the effects of the freezing conditions, known to lead to hypothermia, and medics were called as they began to shiver violently and became unable to speak.
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“It hurts,” Grant Denyer told hosts Julia Morris and Chris Brown during the challenge. “It’s hard to take a breath.”
Later, he even told Huffpost Australia each required a medic because after the challenge their organs got ‘close to shutting down’.
Channel 10 tells Yahoo Lifestyle medics were on-site during and after the trial.
“Network 10 and ITV Studios take the health and wellbeing of its cast very seriously,” a spokesperson said. “During the trial ‘Ice Ice Baby’, Pettifleur, Travis, Grant and Jack were exposed to extremely cold water. Medics were on site for the entire trial and post-trial, each celebrity was seen to and administered heat-inducing therapies to get their temperatures back up.”
Fans slam ‘cruellest’ challenge yet
At home, plenty of fans had finally had enough, taking to Twitter to blast the show for taking things too far.
“Sorry but this challenge was not enjoyable,” one fan wrote. “Too brutal and dangerous. Well done to all [four] of them.”
“That icy water challenge was dangerous [in my opinion],” another wrote.
“That was the cruellest most [ridiculous] challenge I have watched...” one viewer wrote on Facebook. “How stupid to put those lives through that... I considered not watching any further.”
“I feel like it went a little too far,” another wrote.
“That was the most horrible thing to watch!” another wrote. “You could see Grant’s veins in his chest! Not good! Producers are you serious!”
“That challenge was totally cruel,” another concurred. “Usually l have a giggle at most challenges, but this was hard to watch, bad tv, made me feel quite uncomfortable.”
It comes after similar criticism was directed at the program after Toni Pearen was left bleeding from the face after she was attacked by snakes during a particularly confronting challenge.
During the challenge, a visibly distressed Toni was struck five times by the snake, fighting back hysterical sobs and dripping blood as she struggled to finish the challenge.
Eventually, she got it done, and emerged shaking and sobbing while hosts Julia Morris and Chris Brown called for medics.
Fans were left outraged at the very graphic scene, with many arguing it was a ‘despicable’ challenge and that Toni should have been removed as soon as the snake started biting.
“How the show did not remove her IMMEDIATELY after the first strike is beyond me,” one viewer wrote. “Sitting back and doing nothing while she gets bitten FIVE times on the face is plainly negligent and absolutely disgraceful!”
“Should not have allowed that to continue,” another agreed.
“I am a long term fan, but that is not right to have allowed that to happen,” one lover of the show admitted.
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10.
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