Nine million viewers have tuned in to the first episode of TV show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.
Natalie Appleton: "I don't think I have got the strength"
Sunday's show beat BBC One costume drama North and South, which got 6.1m viewers and Four Weddings and a Funeral on Channel 4, watched by 3.2m.
Singer Natalie Appleton asked to leave the programme less than two days after landing in the Australian jungle camp.
The former All Saints member managed to stay, only to be chosen by the public to complete a tightrope challenge.
The 31-year-old had said she did not feel "mentally prepared" for the show, but decided to stay.
However she later woke her fellow contestants, tearfully complaining there was a spider in her bed.
The singer had earlier been comforted by fellow contestants including Sheila Ferguson of The Three Degrees and model Nancy Sorrell.
They were joined in the Australian jungle by comedian Joe Pasquale, former royal butler Paul Burrell, journalist Janet Street-Porter, model Sophie Anderton, nightclub owner Fran Cosgrave and Huggy Bear actor Antonio Fargas.
The final contestant, former East 17 singer Brian Harvey, joined the group late following his grandmother's death.
Joe Pasquale is the bookmakers' favourite to win
Appleton's odds have plummeted after the first show and she is now 10/1 to win with bookmakers William Hill. Pasquale is favourite at 10/3, followed by Cosgrave and Fargas at 5/1.
Some of the group skydived into the jungle with Burrell screaming "no, no, no" as he jumped before a gust of wind blew him and his tandem master a mile off course.
The others had to ride on horseback for four hours until they got to their base.
Once there, Cosgrave was chosen to face the first "bush tucker trial", being covered in and bitten by insects, winning four meals to share between the 10.
Tensions were already evident on the first show, with Appleton's upsets annoying several members of the group and Street-Porter arguing with Burrell about the royal family.
"The monarchy is past its sell-by date and even in spite of how they treated you, you will stick up for them?" she said.
Former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry McFadden won the last series.
What did you think of the show - did the jungle antics entice you to watch the next instalment or were the creepy crawlies more interesting?
Send your views on the form below.
I swore I'd never watch this programme again and would not get hooked like the other series. Wrong - hooked already especially after wimpy Natalie and feisty Janet and stroppy Huggy. Joe Pascale to win! Get rid of Nat and double-quick . Just love Ant and Dec. Brill programme.
Janet Grout, Camberley, Surrey
Get a life - those who appear on it & those who watch it.
After tuning in to I'm a celebrity last night I feel fantastic - Bravo ITV. The show is a triumph, it's the first time I've fallen asleep on a Sunday before 10pm.
Stephen Flood, City, London.
Fantastic! I watch drama and film to see the possibilities of where my dreams may take me - and I have I'm a celebrity to remind me of how good I already have it. I can't imagine being as ego-centric, maladjusted and infinitely un-prepared to cope with life as the tree-phobe appears to be. Whoa! A spider on the floor!!!!
I normally hate reality TV shows but sat down and watched the first I'm a Celebrity last night and to my great surprise, loved it. Huggy Bear is cool, Joe Pasquale was very entertaining, both Sheila and Janet are annoying as hell and Natalie should be given a nappy...
Looks as if this could be an interesting couple of weeks.
Ryan, Cardiff, Wales
Although I don't like Janet Street-Porter already, she will ensure that things get a little heated in the coming weeks. Get rid of Natalie Appleton and on with the show!!
What a complete load of rubbish, it's all been done before and it was bad then! Who really gives one? I can't believe that not one of them has something better to do, they all need to go and get a real job. 'Celebrities' - you're joking, right?
Watched about 5 mins before realising Foyle's War had finished. Read this morning 9 million watched it. speaks volumes for this country!!
Richard Parry, Dinas Powys - Vale of Glamorgan.
Started to watch but Natalie Appleton caused me to switch over. Completely agree with other comments that it is all a set-up based on Kerry McFadden last year. Appleton was making out she was in tears even before they left the hotel. Might switch back on once she and Burrell have gone but very doubtful.
For all the reasons why they annoy us all, it makes fantastic TV! The drama, the tears, the squabbling, the backstabbing - no wonder we're all hooked. Yes, of course they're all in their to raise their media profiles - that's the whole point! So sit back and let them entertain you... or switch off your TV and stop moaning.
Celebs? I have never heard of half of them! When are we going to see Ant and Dec on the "Inside" of this show, now that would be worth watching, to see either of them in a bush tucker trial covered in creepies and chomping on bugs and slimies.
John Osborne, Farnborough Hants
And British TV is supposedly the best in the world? Not while ITV continues to churn out utter trash like this. My fingers are firmly crossed that none of them, Ant and Dec most definitely included, ever make it out of the jungle.
Wow... what a game plan by Natalie Appleton! But it's a bit too transparent. Surely the whiney blonde can't win twice in a row? I thought I'd hate Janet Street Porter, but so far she has my vote for telling Natalie to grow up!
Are our lives really this empty?
With so much going on in the world today I find it hard to believe the amount of media coverage this group of sad "celebrities" are getting for spending a few weeks in the jungle.
I am really confused that Fran Cosgrove can be called a celebrity for dating a essex glamour model? Anyone have the answer? I do not understand how over half of the contestants are meant to be celebrities. Joe Pasquale to win!!!
Rubbish designed to placate the mentally challenged.
A great start to the show with the sky diving and the horse riding. But Nicole Appleton's childish behaviour spoilt the show, complaining about being scared of flying when in the helicopter. I don't suppose she was compalining when she was flying first class to Australia to be in the show!!
Utter rubbish and insulting of intelligence, the show remains a pointless, stultifyingly dull shambles, serving only to get Z-List 'celebs' briefly back into the spotlight to remind us who they were (if indeed we knew at all) before we forgot to care. TV producers should wake up, smell the jungle plants and realise that our appetite for trash TV like this died with the dinosaurs.
James , Cheltenham, UK
This programme was moronic the first time round. I can't believe the British public are really so base as to lap up a third helping...
This is lowest common denominator television for stupid people, all 9 million of you.
André, Paris, France
Why can't people just relax about it and enjoy - it is just light entertainment at the end of the day. Switch over or switch off if you don't like it. That's what your remote is for!!!
Andrew , Leeds, UK
Is it just me or are there others like me out there? I just could not find many familiar names in the so-called celebrity list. It's amazing how the media enforces on us their choice of third grade programs and decides who to call a celebrity!
Rakesh, London, UK
I believe Ant and Dec are the only real 'entertainment' the show has to offer. If it wasn't for their enthusiasm and humour the show would have died a long time ago.
As long as ITV makes so much money from advertising and phone-voting the show may be around for a long time to come. Viewers will vote off the only interesting 'celebrities'.
I personally record the show and use the remote to fast-forward through all the adverts, phone votes, and Natalie Appleton crying scenes - makes it far more enjoyable.
Richard Stevens, Leicester, England
I love this program. It is so 'tongue-in-cheek' and just light entertainment and fun. I hate all the people that rubbish these shows, (turn over then if you don't like it).
Ant and Dec are as ever superb in presenting and building the 'hype', and it is great to see the 'celebs' or not, having to endure enforced socialisation whilst appearing pathetic and irrating all at the same time.
Looking forward to the next 2 weeks of trivia here.
Kelvin Smith , Southampton
Ant and Dec are the only real characters on this programme. Without them it would be unwatchable. I tried to watch the update show on ITV2 - without their humour it was dire and I turned off after 5 mins.
Natalie needs to appreciate the free experience and put up and shut up. We would swap places any day to have the experiences they are having and getting paid for it!
Linda, Houghton Le Spring
Bit of a shame to give them parachutes really...
Please get someone to wake me up when the series ends.
Celebrity or non-celebrity I still have a sadistic pleasure in watching someone so desperate for fame they'll eat the most disgusting things! It really is hilarious and the joke is on them!
Joe Lovatt, Stoke on Trent
I think Appleton is trying to be like Kerry McFadden last year, only that Kerry was genuinely scared and Appleton is trying to act. Porter was scared of riding a horse? I don't think so - another person acting.
Is this just going to be another case of Big Brother syndrome, trying to milk as much money out of an already out-of-date idea? Isn't it time to try something different now?
Graham, Ely, UK
It is extremely irresponsible to let these people loose in the jungle to abuse the wildlife. They may be "creepy crawlies" to some but they belong there; these washed up D-list has-beens don't.
Brendan Lawrence, Chesterfield England
Didn't Appleton watch the previous shows? Just get on with it or leave the show.
Robert, Birmingham, UK
Joe Pasquale is an excellent choice for the show. I'm sure he will keep his fellow contestants highly amused. The incident with the leech was hilarious although he wasn't that amused. Keep it up Joe, it'll be great to see you win!!
Washed up B-list celebrities making a complete embarrassment of themselves and risking to ruin their reputation beyond repair all because they want to be asked to do more commercials or have their own talk show. It's great!
Chris Thomson, Farnham, UK
Oh dear! - Get that whinging Natalie out now! She's a nightmare! She SO knew what she was getting herself into before she went, but all she could see were pound signs flashing before her eyes.... If she carries on moaning like she did in the first day she will soon manage to annoy all of the other contestants..... Joe Pasquale has come across a lot better than I thought he would though! I don't normally think that much of him, but he seems a nice bloke!
Mel, Oxford, England
It makes for painful but compulsive viewing, Paul Burrell crying like a baby was well worth watching. Unfortunately the schute opened! My money's on J.S.P. Her no nonsense attitude will make for some rumbles in the jungle.
Brilliant ... hilarious watching them having to parachute in (why on earth does anyone go on this programme!)and it looks like being a good one. I barely recognise the 'celebrities' - apart from Huggy Bear - but it is certainly light-hearted and entertaining.
Is Natalie Appleton being real? What a whinger at 31 and knowing full well what she was in for! So far, Nancy Sorrell has been the biggest surprise - I previously thought she was a complete bimbo! Fran was a good sport doing the trial for so long!!! Eek!!!!
Carole, Glasgow, Scotland
Yet another collection of talentless nobodies gets abandoned in the jungle. Shame it isn't that simple really. Do we really have to put up with what will seem an eternity of Street-Porter prancing around gobbing off in her desperate attempt at persuading people she really *does* have a personality?
I have a feeling I shall be watching a lot more BBC over the next few weeks...
Paul Harper, Folkestone, Kent, UK
Appleton really annoyed me - crying because there was a spider in her bed. Didn't she know that that's what you get when you go to the jungle? Honestly! Play acting or what?
Joy Penberthy, Twickenham, Gt Britain
Why does anyone actually find this show entertaining? A bunch of dull celebrities that most folk hardly even know who they are, pretending that they are so brave by being payed lots of money to stay in a safe little camp in the jungle!! It is depressing that peoples lives are so sad that they feel they have to watch it.
Vincent, Glasgow, Scotland
Natalie must have known what it was going to be like. She was scared to be in the helicopter, imagine what TV it would have been if she had to parachute into the Jungle. Great TV moment missed I afraid.
I only watch it for Ant and Dec!!!!
Natalie Appleton succeeded in annoying me within about 5 minutes of the programme starting!
The helicopter trip made her sick, she screamed at having to get onto a horse, touching a tree was some kind of major lifetime achievement, and she woke everyone up because of a spider that no one could find!
What exactly was she expecting in the jungle?
Some of these 'reality' shows only prove how far removed some 'celebrities' are from it.
If people are stupid enough to watch this kind of junk, then you can't blame the TV bosses for inflicting it upon us !
Darren, Preston, Lancs
I am sorry but I only know half the people in there - so much for the 'celebrity' bit. Also Appleton knew what she was in for - stop the tears and get on with it!
What did Appleton think it was going to be a walk in the park. She wants to re-find pain without the gain. Stop being a whinger and get on with it.
Jan, Wellingborough Northants
The word 'celebrity' is used in the loosest of terms to describe the latest incarnation. It comes to something when running a nightclub or being a servant makes you a celebrity! Perhaps I should apply to the next series for having a
full-time job and running a home! I certainly wouldn't scream at riding a horse or touching a tree! The world has gone mad!
Joe Pasquale is excellent and already deserves to win. Oh my god - I touched a tree!!!!
I know what - lets leave them all there!!!
What a load of rubbish, is there anyone remotely interested in their antics? Definitely a show past its sell-by date!
Sylvia, Wrexham, Wales
Oh no... not again!
Natalie's tears are all show. She saw how successful it was for Kerry last year. I bet in a few days she will have overcome all her fears and the viewing audience will think she has done so well to turn things around.
Scrapping the bottom of the barrel this time round.
They should realy rename it "I'll be a celebrity once I get out of here."
Pete, London, UK
Why is it so satisfying to watch 'celebrities' suffer? Not that I watch the program or anything!
Jonathn Regalado-Hawkey, Bristol
Don't write off Appleton just yet. Anyone remember Kerry McFadden sounding the same in the early stages last time round...? Could it even be a cunning game plan?
Richard Brooks, Thatcham, UK
Janet Street-Porter is really getting on my nerves and I've only seen one programme! If Natalie doesn't pull a Kerry-style turnaround soon I don't think she'll have a problem going home - she'll be voted off.
Mikayala, Canterbury, Kent
The show would be so much better if the 'celebrities' were not allowed to leave of their own accord, and could only go when they get voted out...
Bill, Leicester, UK
Leave them there for 2 weeks but turn off the cameras and not tell them.Then come back and see their faces when they realise no-one cares. That would be worth watching.
I don't understand why this rubbish is allowed on our screens. The so-called celebrities are only in the jungle to further their already down the pan careers. I feel sorry for Ant and Dec as they are great presenters but should stop now before their careers go the same way.
If a woman has gone through childbirth, I can't see how removing a spider from her bed is such a big deal. I've never seen such a group of big babies on one TV programme.
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.