I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! returned for its twenty-first series on 21 November 2021 on ITV. As with series 20, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the series was filmed at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Wales.
Ant & Dec returned to host the series. In October 2021, it was announced that the online spin-off show I'm a Celebrity...The Daily Drop had been axed, with no plans for a replacement.
On 12 December, Danny Miller was crowned the first ever âÂÂKing of the CastleâÂÂ.
On 2 August 2021, it was announced that, due to Australia's border remaining closed amid COVID-19 restrictions in the country, filming would again be taking place at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Wales, instead of Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia. As part of the agreement with Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, ITV announced it would continue to help support the ongoing restoration project of the site.
The first trailer for the series was released on 22 October 2021, featuring Ant & Dec dressed up in knight's armour galloping through the Welsh countryside, whilst it was teased that the series would be "more gruelling than ever".
The live elements of the show on 26 November had to be pre-recorded for the first time in the show's history due to adverse weather conditions from Storm Arwen. On 27 November, the celebrities were temporarily removed from the castle and the episodes on 27, 28 and 29 November were cancelled due to safety fears and technical difficulties as a result of the storm. The show resumed on 30 November.
The line-up was announced on 15 November 2021. Adam Woodyatt and Simon Gregson were confirmed by ITV on 24 November as the annual late arrivals. On 25 November, Richard Madeley was forced to withdraw from the series after being taken to hospital due to an unspecified illness, and therefore breaking the show's COVID bubble. Posting online, Madeley said: "I started to feel briefly unwell in the small hours of the morning and was taken to hospital as a precaution."
The contestants take part in daily trials to earn food. These trials aim to test both physical and mental abilities. The winner is usually determined by the number of stars collected during the trial, with each star representing a meal earned by the winning contestant for their fellow celebrities.
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As well as competing in the trials, celebrities have to complete 'Castle Coin Challenges' in order to earn treats for themselves. At least 2 celebrities will be chosen to compete in the challenge. They must complete the challenge they have been given in order to win 'Castle Coins'. After completion of the challenge, the celebrities will take the Castle Coins and head to the Ye Olde Shoppe, where they will purchase one of two snack options, from Kiosk Cledwyn. But, before they are allowed to take the prize, the other celebrities back at the living quarters must answer a question, based on a recent survey. If they get the question right, they will earn the treat, but if they get it wrong, the celebrities will go back empty handed.
Official ratings are taken from BARB, utilising the four-screen dashboard which includes viewers who watched the programme on laptops, smartphones, and tablets within 7 days of the original broadcast.