Ant and Dec face backlash as I'm a Celeb slapped with Ofcom complaints

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! has sparked controversy just a week into its latest series, with 70 complaints filed with Ofcom after hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly made jokes referencing the Bible and Christianity.

The backlash began after Reverend Richard Coles, former Strictly Come Dancing contestant and prominent Church of England figure, entered the jungle alongside Love Island star Maura Higgins. 

During an eating challenge featuring Coles, 62, and Higgins, 34, Dec quipped: 'More tea, vicar?' in a nod to Coles' clerical role. 

Later, Dec, 49, described the trial as 'unholy,' to which Ant jokingly added, 'Bum-holey.'

The humour escalated during Tuesday night's episode when Ant, 49, delivered a mock sermon about 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 interrupted, 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.' 

Dec then said: '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'. 

The duo also made prayers hands to orchestral music while cracking the jokes. 

While the skit amused some viewers, others found it disrespectful, leading to formal complaints to Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator. 

Neither Ant and Dec nor ITV have issued a public response.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: 'We are assessing the complaints, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.'

MailOnline has approached ITV for comment. 

Dec was raised in the Catholic church and his late brother Dermott was a priest based in the family's north east. He tragically died at the age of 55 in 2022.  

Father Dermott was a regular visitor to his brother's traditionally London based shows, while the presenter travelled to the north-east frequently to attend Mass and visit the youth projects which had been a labour of love for the priest since the 1990s. 

Since his arrival in the jungle, Rev Richard has impressed viewers with his candid moments. 

In a conversation with influencer GK Barry (real name Grace Keeling), she asked about the challenges of being both religious and gay. 

Coles responded confidently: 'No, not at all. I've never given it a moment's twinge of anxiety over whether God thought it was alright or not. 

'Whether other people thought it was alright or not, well, I'm happy to have that argument.'

He added: 'I was not the first. Sometimes I look at documents from the early church or the church of the middle ages, and I just think—so gay.' 

GK later admitted in the Bush Telegraph: 'Never in a million years would I have thought I'd get on best with a reverend.'

Coles continued to make waves when GK asked if he had ever met a member of the royal family. 

Richard cheekily replied: 'Great in bed...' before bursting into laughter, leaving campmates stunned. 

Fans on social media were quick to react, with one user on X asking: 'Who has Richard bedded from the royal family? Have I missed something?!' 

Another posted: 'Reverend Richard said a royal was good in bed,' while a third declared, 'I need to know which royal he was talking about.'

Richard's path from pop star to priesthood has fascinated fans. 

After The Communards, his synth-pop duo with Jimmy Somerville, disbanded in 1988, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1991 before returning to the Church of England in 2001. 

He was ordained in 2005, earning a reputation as one of the UK's most unconventional religious figures.

During Tuesday's episode, the Reverend revealed the heartbreaking dreams he has had about his late husband who died after battling alcoholism.

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I'm A Celebrity's Reverend Richard Coles reveals heartbreaking dreams about late husband

Richard opened up to dancer Oti Mabuse about life without his husband David Oldham - who died in 2019.

Richard has since met his new partner partner Dickie Cant, but admitted that David remains a 'massive hole in his life'.

'I miss him,' Richard said. 'And I want him to walk in the door. I had a dream he walked in the door and he was just carrying a Co-op bag, just like he'd been shopping and I said to him "I thought you were dead" and he said "No I was just out shopping".

'I said "It's nice to see you, thanks for coming back", to which he said "Oh I'm not staying, I met somebody else",' Richard added, to which he and Oti began to laugh.

'But he's just a massive hole in my life and I'm living my life around that loss and I've met Dickie now, and that's great.

'So we're in a relationship now together but I just miss David very much.'

I'M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP

OTI MABUSE  

AGE: 34

OCCUPATION: Professional dancer

FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020. 

DANNY JONES 

AGE: 38

OCCUPATION: McFly singer

FAMOUS FOR:  Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly. 

He is also a coach on The Voice UK. 

BARRY MCGUIGAN 

AGE: 63

OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer

FAMOUS FOR:  Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986. 

GK BARRY

AGE: 25

OCCUPATION: TikTok star 

FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel. 

DEAN MCCULLOUGH 

AGE: 32

OCCUPATION:  Radio 1 DJ 

FAMOUS FOR:  Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I'm A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views. 

Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.  

JANE MOORE  

AGE: 62

OCCUPATION: Journalist

FAMOUS FOR:  Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.

She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.

Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow. 

MELVIN ODOOM  

AGE: 44

OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter

FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I'm A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.

He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.

COLEEN ROONEY 

AGE: 38

OCCUPATION: WAG

FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.

Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show's history, exceeding Nigel Farage's £1.5million from last year.

ALAN HALSALL  

AGE: 42

OCCUPATION: Actor 

FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I'm A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.

Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap. 

TULISA  

AGE: 36

OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge 

FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007.

In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss. 

She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year.  

REVEREND RICHARD COLES

AGE: 62

OCCUPATION: Writer, broadcaster and priest

FAMOUS FOR: Richard is an English writer, radio presenter and Church of England priest. 

He first came to prominence as the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band the Communards.

 MAURA HIGGINS

AGE: 33

OCCUPATION: TV Personality

FAMOUS FOR: Maura is an Irish television personality, television presenter and model. 

She rose to prominence in 2019, when she was a finalist on the fifth series of ITV2 reality series Love Island.