GB News Producer Misquotes ‘I’m A Celeb’ Stats in Nigel Farage Ratings Boast, Misses 2 Million Viewer Decline

GB News producer Ben Leo wrongfully cited 2022 ‘I’m A Celebrity’ ratings statistics Monday as he excitedly boasted that network colleague Nigel Farage’s appearance helped land a “massive peak audience.”

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The truth is that the 2023 season opener of ITV’s reality show attracted a peak viewership of 7.8 million and an average audience of 7 million. The figures represent a decline of approximately 2 million viewers compared to last year’s equivalent episode in 2022.

Leo, flown out to Australia to cover Farage’s time on the show, was actually quoting numbers from that 2022 season opener, a total of 9.1 million viewers.

The 2022 show eventually saw footballer Jill Scott crowned winner, picking up the most public votes in the final against actor Owen Warner and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

It further appears that Leo actually ripped the statistics from an old news article on the 2022 season, tweeting that Farage’s numbers trumped “last year’s Euros.” The Euro 2020 football tournament was played out in 2021, due to the pandemic.

The producer’s misquote was regurgitated by GB News personalities Adam Brooks and Martin Daubney but they have since deleted their figures. Leo’s tweets remain.

The drop in ratings follows backlash by campaigners to have Farage, famous for his role as former leader of UKIP and the Brexit Party, dropped from the line up.

Although Leo got the numbers wrong for Sunday’s show, it is possible that more people will tune in to watch Farage engage in his first challenge on Monday, nominated by the public to eat insects and grubs in the Jungle Pizzeria trial.