Excitement as mayor, businesses and castle prepares to welcome back I'm A Celebrity

The show is returning to the historic Gwrych Castle, near Abergele, on Sunday, November 21.

Presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will host episodes live every night on ITV and ITV Hub from the castle.

Celebrities will brave the great outdoors and will complete tasks involving insects or unpleasant foods.

Dr Mark Baker, chairman of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, said: “The reaction from local businesses and schools in Abergele has been great. There have been window dressing competitions, the schools have been making banners.

“Everyone is very excited for the new series.

“The show starts on Sunday and we are very much looking forward to seeing Gwrych Castle on prime time television every night.”

Abergele McDonald’s is just one of the many businesses in the town who have been gearing up for the return of I’m A Celebrity.

McDonald’s in Abergele have gone all out!

Jessica Lyall, shift manager, said: “We have our dining area staff dressed as camp mates and we will have crew in camp t-shirt’s.

“We have a riddle to be solved where you can win a hamper.

“We will also have bushtucker slime for the kids to feel for the gold stars.

“We are super proud that I’m A Celebrity is in Abergele.”

Yarn bomber Rachel Williamson has created new colourful postbox toppers to celebrate the show’s return and Pam Peters Designs has made a glass castle for their shop window.

Cllr Alan Hunter, mayor of Abergele, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that I’m A Celebrity has come back to our town’s iconic Gwyrch Castle. Throughout the summer, and leading up to the announcement that ITV were coming back, I’d lost count of the amount of times residents and businesses had asked if I thought the show would come back. The return has certainly lifted the spirits of the town and there is noticeable excitement across the generations.

“I have relaunched the shop window display competition. Already the very imaginative window displays and cardboard cut outs of Ant and Dec are being displayed.

“I am really grateful that there is a policy of using local trades to supply and service the show which will aid the economic recovery for so many.

"The return is a real boost for the economy of the town, the coast, and North Wales in general. It is also a massive boost to the restoration of the castle," cllr Hunter added.

"Last year the show went on during an almost full lockdown and l hope that this year we will not be restricted, so long as people are sensible and keep safe, we will welcome visitors. It will be fantastic to welcome the production team and crew in to town this year and it would be great if we could have the odd visit from the celebrities.

"We have the beautiful Pensarn promenade with free parking for over 200 cars where the best and safest views of Gwyrch Castle can be enjoyed in all its glory nestled in the hillside."

The second phase of Gwrych Castle’s shop on Market Street in Abergele is now complete.

The I'm A Celebrity shop now boasts a green screen and visitors can have a photo on the I’m A Celebrity throne.

Customers can choose from several different scenes and professional print outs are available with a booklet.