ITV OUTLINE I'M A CELEBRITY COVID SAFETY MEASURES
ITV and I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! have outlined its Covid Management Plan for the forthcoming production which will be filmed at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Conwy.
Richard Cowles, ITV Studios Director of Entertainment said: “Everyone on the production team has worked incredibly hard to bring I’m A Celebrity to Wales and a massive part of making that possible has been developing our protocols around Covid. We have worked with ITV’s Independent Chief Medical Officer Dr Paul Litchfield, ITV’s Health and Safety Department and our own health and safety and medical teams to keep everyone connected with the production, both in front of and behind the camera, as safe as possible.”
On-Site:
All crew will be temperature checked on arrival and will wear masks when not sitting at a desk. The layout of permanent work spaces has been designed to allow 2 metres social distancing. Desks are cleaned regularly and oriented away from each other to avoid face to face working.
Proximity buzzers are worn by all site personnel to assist with social distancing.
Key touch points are regularly cleaned, hand hygiene stations are in place throughout the site and all staff are encouraged to regularly wash hands.
All crew are required to undergo mandatory Covid training which teaches them protocols, restrictions and dos and don'ts.
Crew Screening:
In addition to the Covid Management Plan, the I’m A Celebrity medical team will carry out additional screening of all on site personnel. This process does not replace the need for other Covid protocols but is an additional mitigation. All crew will take a twice weekly rapid Covid test which will be provided by a reputable supplier and overseen by the Production’s medical team. Should a positive result be returned then the individual will be asked to self isolate and a PCR Covid test will be carried out.
Close Contact Cohorts:
Ant & Dec have formed a close contact cohort which means they can stand and work together when they need to, as long as they receive regular Covid tests, provided by a reputable supplier and overseen by our medical team. They will have tests every three days.
The celebrities in camp have been isolating for the past two weeks where they have been receiving regular Covid tests. They will form a close contact cohort which will mean they are able to live together as a bubble. They will also be tested every three days.
Access to both celebrities and to Ant & Dec by the production team will be extremely limited, always at distance and subject to strict protocols.
Reduce the number of people involved:
Where roles can work remotely, we have relocated these to reduce the number of people on site and therefore the need to travel into Wales and the Conwy area. At present, we estimate that the current IAC site has less than half the workforce that the programme has in Australia. Where possible, elements of the set build have been undertaken off site and the edits take place remotely in London. Crew are expected to adhere to local Covid regulations and our own strict protocols when off site.
I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! returns Sunday at 9pm on ITV.