Thousands of people have reportedly backed PETA's petition to have Ant and Dec leave I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
The popular ITV reality contest, and the bushtucker trials that its famous contestants have to take on, have been labelled 'tired, tacky and cruel' by the animal rights charity.
PETA says that 50,000 people have now signed its petition to stop animals being involved in the trials.
Celebs including Boy George, Sue Cleaver and Matt Hancock have all entered the Australian bush this week, battling it out to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle.
The bushtucker trials they typically face involve being locked in confined spaces with thousands of bugs, crawling through rat and snake-infested tunnels, and even eating animal parts, like kangaroo testicles.
Ant and Dec. Credit: ITV
PETA has now hit out at Ant and Dec for endorsing 'animal abuse' in an open letter to the Geordie presenter duo.
They wrote: "And and Dec. The longer you associate yourselves with I’m A Celebrity, the more you send the message to viewers that you think animal abuse is not only acceptable but also entertaining…
"So please, hang up your hats and get yourselves out of there - for animals’ sake."
On the petition page, they added: "During these challenges, celebrity participants perform ghastly acts such as sticking their hands or heads into tanks filled with insects, spiders, mice, rats, or fish; crawling into small spaces on top of masses of rats or insects; and even eating animals and their body parts.
"Killing animals off camera before contestants are pressured into eating them – or using them in tired, tacky, cruel stunts – must end."
PETA continued that animals are 'not there by choice' and 'deserve better than to be used in irresponsible and inhumane stunts'.
A spokesperson for I'm A Celebrity said: "We are always fully transparent about our protocols and we have a very strict environmental plan in place on the show. As a production, we comply with all regional and national laws concerning the use of insects, animals and reptiles.
"Welfare and safety is always the primary priority on any of our programmes, and at any Bushtucker trial that features animals, we have qualified and experienced animal handlers on site at all times. We inform the RSPCA NSW of all of our activities on the show and they have an open invitation to attend the site at any time.
"We cannot stress enough that we have rigorous protocols in place to ensure that animals are handled safely at all times, before, during and after any filming has taken place, in compliance with all regional and national laws."
Featured image: ITV
Art & Culture
A state-of-the-art mobile planetarium is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Get ready for an out-of-this-world experience Leeds.
The mobile planetarium will be popping up at Millennium Square where visitors can explore the wonders of the universe this summer.
Planetarium Go UK will arrive just next month, promising immersive astronomy and science-based experiences using the latest technology to capture the stunning far reaches of space.
The attraction employs high-resolution digital projections all housed within an impressive portable dome structure and will screen a programme of films for visitors of all ages.
Image: Supplied
From Friday 4 until Wednesday 26 September, Planetarium Go UK will host screenings every day between 11am and 6pm Sunday to Friday and 10am to 8pm on Saturdays.
José Jiménez, CEO of Planetarium Go UK said: “Our objective is clear: to bring science to places where it has not reached before.
“We want children, young people and families to enjoy an immersive experience that sparks scientific curiosity and brings the universe closer to everyday life, regardless of where they live.”
Image: Supplied
The planetarium is part of the programme of summer events which have taken place on Millennium Square this year, including another belting series of concerts and performances which attracted audiences of thousands.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, said: “Millennium Square continues to host an exciting and diverse programme of events and activities at the heart of the city centre each and every year and this summer has been no exception.
“Giving families the opportunity to explore the fascinating wonders of space and astronomy will be an incredible experience and will hopefully help to inspire the next generation of young scientists in Leeds.”
Tickets for Planetarium Go UK are priced from £8 and you can find out more and buy your tickets here.
Inside the Leeds factory that makes and supplies classic jukeboxes
Thomas Melia
This Leeds-based family-owned business is famed for supplying pubs, clubs and even ordinary people's homes with classic jukeboxes.
Started up in 1978, Sound Leisure really is a local business like no other, creating and distributing classic jukeboxes to over 40 countries.
This music-machine-making company notes that 75% of the jukeboxes they manufacture and sell throughout the year are bought for everyday homes.
The remaining 25% of orders are for the all-expected hospitality venues like bars, clubs and hotels, with the jukeboxes sometimes bought for company headquarters and retail outlets too.
Although there are other jukebox manufacturers, especially across the pond in the US, Sound Leisure is the only factory in the world that creates jukeboxes to play out across all formats: CD, vinyl and digital.
This jukebox business even runs the world's only 'Custom Shop', which is a design service that offers any music lovers the chance to personalise their pristine player.
So whether you're after a themed jukebox, customisable nameplate or even a bespoke design, this jukebox company's website states: "If you can dream it, we can build it".
One of Sound Leisure's prized products is the music machine inspired Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-themed jukebox which any fan of The Beatles would dream of being its lucky owner.
And there really isn't anything they can't do, as alongside creating classic jukeboxes, the same team even make pinball machines, football tables, LED signs and more.
With CD and vinyl jukeboxes from £5,000 and digital jukeboxes quoted from upwards of £12,000, we're going to need a fair few rainy days to save up our money.
However, you can still marvel at these magnificent music machines without having to dip into your savings, with guided tours starting from just £15.
If you're up for learning a little bit more about music technology or simply after admiring these classic jukeboxes in all their glory, you can find out more about the factory and book your guided tour ticket HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
8th November 2022 
