Peers have rounded on the producers of the reality TV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! over the use of non-native insects during filming.
Tory Lord Cormack hit out at “idiots bringing in bugs to bite people who are camping in Wales”.
In the Lords, he added: “What an irresponsible, stupid, ridiculous thing to do.”
Lord Cormack said he had never watched the programme but it should be re-titled: “I’m an Idiot… Get Me Out Of Here!”
Another Tory peer, the Earl of Caithness said it was “crassly stupid” for a television programme to release bugs and insects into the environment.
He said this amounted to “playing with nature” and was “totally stupid”.
Their comments came as peers debated the environmental impact of the high-speed rail project HS2 in a report stage debate on the High Speed Rail (West Midlands-Crewe) Bill.
Police were reported recently to have given “suitable advice” to the makers of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! following criticism of its use of non-native insects during filming.
A range of insects have been used during the programme’s notoriously unpleasant trials which have seen large quantities of bugs dumped onto the celebrities as they take part in challenges.
A spokesman for I’m A Celebrity defended its use of bugs at the time, saying: “All of the insects used on I’m A Celebrity are non-invasive species.
“They are only ever released in a contained area and collected immediately after filming.
“The bugs are UK-bred and are commercially purchased in the UK for birds and exotic animal feed for pets and zookeepers in normal circumstances.”
