Here’s why the I’m A Celeb cast no longer have voting phone numbers on their t-shirts

It’s the end of an era, you guys. I officially feel like a grandma thinking back nostalgically about the I’m A Celeb days of yore, because the campmates in the cast no longer have voting phone numbers on their t-shirts. It was an iconic, classic bit of I’m A Celeb back in the day – and this year having no phone numbers on t-shirts is bizarre to see. Here’s the reason why there’s been the major change.

If you’re new here, I’m A Celeb campmates get stripped of their belongings when they go into the jungle and have to wear the now iconic camp clothes. These clothes usually consist of a combo of shirts, shorts, the blood-hiding red socks and a hat or bandana – with a basic t-shirt underneath. These t-shirts famously used to have the celeb’s first name with their voting number on, so viewers knew what to call when getting the cast to do a trial or vote for who they want to win the show.

People on Twitter were perplexed. “All of the t-shirts having full government names on the back rather than their first names and a phone number is sending me,” @st_ua_rt wrote.

RIP to the days!

Another said “ITV completely phasing out phone voting is a disgrace… the phone numbers on the back of the celebrities t-shirts was one of the last British traditions we had.”

Well, we got the explanation. An insider told the MailOnline “Over the years the number of people voting by phone has declined and it’s become a very small proportion of votes cast. To simplify the message to our viewers, we have chosen to only have free online voting this year via the app.”

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Most voting for reality TV shows, like Love Island or Big Brother, are now only done via the app – so I’m A Celeb has followed suit. It’s a proper end of on era moment, though – Ant and Dec used to always make puns and quips when reeling through the cast so viewers knew what number to say. Feels so weird without it!

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