I'm A Celebrity viewers were confused on Thursday night when a sudden change to the line-up for the upcoming trial left fans scratching their heads. During the live show, Ant and Dec informed the campmates that they needed to nominate two of their own for the Tanks of Torture bushtucker trial.
With the celebs speculating that water might be involved in the challenge, some quickly stepped back while Barry McGuigan and Oti Mabuse stepped up to the plate.
However, a swift twist followed on the I'm A Celeb Unpacked spin-off show, as host Joel Dommett revealed that Oti would be joined by Melvin Odoom for the trial, with no reason provided for Barry's sudden exclusion from the line-up. The show's Instagram page backed this new pairing, much to the puzzlement of fans.
Viewers immediately took to social media for answers, with one asking: "I thought it was Barry and Oti? Was Barry taken out cos he can't see?" referencing Barry's visibility issues during his initial trial which had impacted his performance. Another queried: "Wait, wasn't it meant to be Barry?" and yet another expressed disappointment: "What's happened to Barry? Was looking forward to seeing him do a trial."
Some viewers are speculating about the reasons Barry was replaced by Melvin. "I'm pretty sure Barry most likely got ruled out due to medical grounds so they replaced him with Melvin," one mentioned. At the same time, another fan stated their contentment with the switch: "I thought it was Barry, but I'll take Melvin happily," reports OK!.
The team behind 'I'm A Celebrity' has teased that the truth will be revealed in the Friday, November 29th episode.
Fans were particularly eager to see Barry undertake a trial since his arrival at the camp has not garnered much limelight. Instead, Dean McCullough has been stealing the spotlight, initially due to a string of trials and his comical repulsion to fish guts, and more recently, because fellow campers are starting to notice his tendency to avoid camp duties.
On the episode aired Thursday, November 28, Dean was slated to help Melvin collect water for the camp. However, he chose that moment to take a shower instead. He reassured Melvin, saying, "I'm going to have a scrub, and then I'll do a couple, mate."
Nonetheless, when Melvin ended up toting his fourth bucket of water solo that morning, Danny Jones couldn't help but inquire, "Is Houdini with him? " a cheeky nod to Dean's knack for vanishing.
After Jane confirmed Dean was showering, Melvin quipped, "Houdini does another trick again! " prompting Jane's lighthearted response, "Come on Melvin, you've got to leave some for Dean to do! "It seems Barry also caught onto Dean's dodging efforts, as he chimed in with a cynical, "Don't hold your breath!"
I'm A Celebrity... Ge Me Out Of Here! airs daily at 9pm on ITV.
English (United States) ·