I'm A Celebrity: Ant and Dec's religious jokes about Church of England priest Rev Richard Coles spark flurry of Ofcom complaints

The ever-popular television show has been hit with 70 Ofcom complaints over jokes towards Reverend Richard Coles.

The ITV reality show's hosts Ant and Dec sparked the backlash from a number of viewers after some light-hearted comments about the retired Church of England priest.

The regulator has received 70 complaints over the November 23 episode, and confirmed to Metro.co.uk that it was due to the duo's "references to the Bible and to the Christian faith".

Musician and TV star Richard was ordained in 2005, and retired from his clerical duties two years ago.

Over the weekend, Richard and Maura Higgins took on a Bushtucker trial as they ate pig's eyes, vomit fruit, cockroaches, sheep brain and other disgusting items.

During the challenge, Dec joked: "More tea vicar?". And in the studio afterwards, he described the trial as "unholy", before adding: "Bum-holey."

And on Tuesday, the pair performed a fake sermon with organ pipes playing in the background.

Dec started: "It’s the start of a new day now and the first to wake up was Reverend Richard…" Ant teased: "And though the night before there had been darkness and a plague of insects had been visited upon him. But he had receiveth a small bounty that did taste of cheese. And now, praise be, he did rise again."

Dec then quipped: "So basically you are saying Richard had a fright, got some crisps, then had a sleep and got out of bed?"

Richard hasn't held back in the jungle, and he had a very honest conversation with 25-year-old influencer GK Barry - who is in a relationship with footballer Ella Rutherford - when she asked if he struggled being gay as a priest.

He told her: "I’ve never found it personally difficult at all. I’ve never given it a moment’s twinge of anxiety over whether God thought it was alright or not. That was fine. But whether other people thought it was alright or not, well I’m happy to have that argument…"