Ant and Dec ‘disappointed’ Dean McCullough quit the ‘easiest’ I’m a Celeb trial

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Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have shared that they felt a bit let down when Dean McCullough decided to drop out of a rather easy challenge on I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

On November 19, during The Sinister Sarcophagus challenge, McCullough, who is 32 years old, became the first contestant of the season to cry out, "I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!" as he became overwhelmed with emotion.

The Radio 1 host was confined to a tiny area where he had to answer various questions about Egypt to secure 10 stars for his camp. Each time he answered correctly, a star would be lowered for him to catch with his mouth.

While discussing on I’m A Celebrity Unpacked, McPartlin and Donnelly expressed their disappointment to hosts Joel Dommett, Sam Thompson, and Kemi Rogers that the audience was unable to witness the entire trial.

Donnelly expressed: “We’re truly let down because we were ready to go through the entire trial and were eager to witness the whole process.”

"Many hours were invested in the trials, so when they get called off unexpectedly, you can't help but feel surprised," he remarked.

"We wanted to keep the conversation going because we were really having a good time," McPartlin explained. "But at the same time, we thought, 'Well, it's finishing a bit early, so let's head out and soak up some sun,'" Donnelly mentioned.

When the crew was asked if they feel annoyed when a celebrity leaves a challenge prematurely, the presenters from Geordie highlighted the hard work that the I’m a Celeb team puts into every trial.

"They simply want to ensure that it’s done the right way," McPartlin explained. "In the past, when individuals chose not to continue, we occasionally reinstated the trials because we believe it’s important for them to be showcased."

Before the trial of The Sinister Sarcophagus, McCullough confessed that the situation felt like his “worst nightmare” since he felt stuck inside it.

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Even though the radio host answered two questions correctly and earned two stars for the camp, he confused the audience by shouting that he wanted to be let go before the trial was completed.

"Many people are saying this is likely the simplest challenge in the history of I'm a Celebrity! Dean is certainly going to volunteer for every trial from now on! It feels a bit over the top!" someone commented on X/Twitter.

"One viewer commented, 'It’s like Dean is saying, 'I’m a celebrity, get me out of here' just because of a little sand!'"

"If sand was the only thing holding Dean back... it means he's struggling to deal with everything else," commented a third user on social media.

At the conclusion of Tuesday night's show, McPartlin and Donnelly announced that the audience had chosen McCullough to participate in the next trial on Wednesday, November 20, alongside influencer GK Barry.

Barry, who is 25 years old, has notably received acclaim for her determination in the jungle up to this point, earning an outstanding nine out of ten stars for her camp during her initial challenge.

Although she felt a surge of panic and exclaimed, "I can’t stand tight spaces," she quickly reminded herself to be mature and pushed forward.

"One fan on TikTok commended the content creator, saying, 'She's really shining this season.' Another chimed in, 'She's my favorite.' Someone else remarked, 'So hilarious! I absolutely adore her.'"

Fresh episodes of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! are broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX nightly at 9 PM.