ITV really have an uphill struggle at the moment:

• advertising revenues declining
• losing market share as their crucial viewers watch other TV channels
• sacrificing their brand value as viewers start to understand the manipulative and negative qualities of programmes like The Mint
• big share in ITV recently bought by BSkyB and to quote Richard Branson’s spokesman Will Whitehorn, Sky had made it clear it does not intend to be a passive investor

So just to heap another dollop of bad news for people who previously enjoyed ITV’s programming they have seen fit to partner I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here! with online bookmaker Paddy Power. Am I alone in thinking that commercial gambling is wrong?? That it preys on the intellectual weakness of people who often can’t afford to squander their money?

Someone somewhere has been given responsibility for the ITV brand and has systematically tarnished it by associating it with gambling.

I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here! isn’t all bad though, it’s that time of year again when 12 relatively well known media people (I don’t think we can really call many of them Celebrities this year!) head off into the Australian rainforest for the sixth series of the hit reality TV show.

Already having attracted a record number of viewers this year it’s safe to say that we, the British public have become completely engrossed in the show as usual, and let’s face it there have already been some classic comedy moments on the show after only the first week.

Hosts Ant and Dec make the show even funnier by constantly having a dig at the celebs and saying what the general public are actually thinking.

The main highlight of the show has to be when the public get to phone in and vote for the celebrity that they would like to take on the famous ‘Bush Tucker Trial’ of the day. This usually involves such disgusting things as eating live bugs, being put into claustrophobic situations with creepy crawlies, snakes and spiders and generally being forced to face your worst fears live on air!

The best Bush Tucker Trial of all time award has to go to recent celebrity Dean Gaffney who was recently a newcomer to the camp and had a live trial set up for him.

Blissfully unaware, and thinking he was just going to walk straight into the rainforest and join everyone else poor Dean had to endure his first trial. While we all found his blatantly terrified face possibly some of the best live TV in years! I didn’t find it funny - I shared his terror but couldn’t stop watching and I have to say I think this fascination with watching people being terrified is ghoulish and faintly reminiscent of the old ladies who knitted under the gallows every week. Having said that though, I still keep watching it, hmm… the evil within?

It pains me to admit it but I have to give a nod of respect to David Gest. Maybe he went on a desensitising course before setting off, but he handled monstrous spiders sitting on his head with aplomb!

The camp is soon to be spilt in two, with both teams competing against each other so this could make for very interesting viewing, don’t miss it!

Participants in this I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here! are:

• David Gest
• Lauren Booth
• Matt Willis
• Jason Donovan
• Myleene Klass
• Faith Brown
• Phina Oruche
• Toby Anstis
• Jan Leeming
• Scott Henshall
• Dean Gaffney
• Malandra Burrows