I'm A Celeb: former Wales set Gwrych Castle in line for £2.2m makeover after becoming tourist hit due to ITV show

The former home of 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here' is set for a multi-million pound makeover following a tourist boom in the aftermath of the series.

Gwrych Castle near Abergele in Wales hosted the ITV reality competition show during the Covid pandemic when travel restriction prevented the show from broadcasting from its normal location in Australia. The show filmed two series at the castle, from 2020 to 2021.

Author and blogger Giovanna Fletcher was crowned Queen of the Castle in 2020. The second series at Gwrych Castle saw the celebrities put through the elements as Storm Arwen hit the UK. Emmerdale actor Danny Miller would go onto to be crowned King of the Castle.

In the aftermath of the show, the castle experienced a tourist boom, with fans of the show coming from across the country to visit the site. Funds raised from tickets and donations from the National Heritage Memorial Fund means that the derelict site is now set to undergo a £2.2m makeover.

The site originally closed in 1987 after its owner failed to undertake renovations, with the castle becoming derelict and vandalised thereafter. It was bought in 2018 with funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Heritage Memorial Fund Richard Broyd Charitable Trust and other organisations.

The new £2.2m renovation will be undertaken by the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust. Plans include much-needed repairs to the roof of the building and the floors.

Chairman of the Trust, Dr Mark Baker, said: “It's been 30 years in the making but we're very excited to share the first view of the proposed new roof created by the talented team at Chambers Conservation, who we will be working with along the way to make this dream a reality.”

The 23rd series of the hit celebrity competition show has kicked off in Australia. Campmates joining Ant & Dec in the jungle include Nigel Farage, Jamie-Lynn Spears and Fred Siriex.