I'm A Celebrity 2024 viewers hail 'wholesome' campmates being open about mental health

Watch: Richard Coles and Oti Mabuse share their experiences of trauma

What did you miss?

I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 viewers have hailed this year's series for being so "wholesome".

As Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse and Reverend Richard Coles opened up to one another in a moving chat about grief, fans praised the show for the number of deep chats between campmates this series. Viewers felt it was very positive to see the celebrities "normalising" being open about mental health struggles.

What, how and why?

In the latest episode of the ITV show on Tuesday, 26 November, Mabuse shared with Coles how hard it had been when her daughter was born premature and she had to leave her in an incubator in the hospital and could not stay with her overnight.

After sharing a hug, former 80s popstar and TV and radio presenter Coles then opened up to the professional dancer about the death of his husband David, from alcohol poisoning at the age of 43 in December 2019.

Coles said: “I miss him… He’s just left a massive hole in my life and I’m living my life around that loss.”

What did viewers say?

Viewers were moved by the emotional chat. They agreed it was yet another example of what a "lovely" group of campmates there were this year.

One wrote on social media platform X: "I love #ImACeleb this year. That’s 3 men showing emotions, mental health struggles, grief etc and it’s normalising. It’s amazing to see."

Another agreed: "Fantastic series, opening about mental health this year."

And someone else said: "Moments like that with oti and richard are so special and it's so nice to see it on tv. everyone has experiences and hearing them talk about it so openly and with so much love, care and consideration is really just beautiful."

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One shared: "I love how open and honest the camp mates are, Richard is a beautiful soul, a really lovely man."

While another tweeted: "How incredibly brave of Oti and Rev Richard to speak about this. We need more discussions of this on tv and we need more awareness. We need people to reach out and have more open conversations."

Somebody else commented: "This is hands down one of the best group of celebs we’ve ever had on #ImACeleb. I’m loving all the deep chats!" And another added: "I love how wholesome this cast is #ImACeleb."

But not everybody agreed.

One viewer complained: "Let me say this #ImACeleb series is the worst one ever. Boring, no characters, no aggro, little controversy. B celebs taking a big cheque and hamming it up for the cameras. It's time to end the show."

What else happened on I'm A Celebrity?

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly revealed they used to share a bed together. The TV presenters met as teenagers in 1990 when they starred together in CBBC show Byker Grove as best friends PJ and Duncan and went on to have a pop career together.

Appearing on ITV2 spin-off show I'm A Celebrity... Unpacked, Joel Dommett asked them what side of the bed they sleep on. Ant revealed: "If you're looking at the bed, I sleep on the right."

Dec joked: "You sleep on the Ant side and I sleep on the Dec side."

Ant added: "We used to share a bed together when we used to tour together."

Dommett exclaimed: "That is the cutest thing I've ever heard!"

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs every night at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX