Mozzies en masse... repellant just ain’t going to cut it!
THE campmates will have more than each other to rub them up the wrong way – thanks to the worst infestation of mosquitos in camp for a decade.
Bosses fear the contestants will be plagued by bites after wet weather caused the mozzies to rapidly reproduce, with tens of thousands on the site. Executive producer Oliver Nash said: “It’s the worst weather we’ve had for 10 years, since 2007, and it’s brought in an influx of mosquitos.
“The mozzies have already been a big problem for seasoned crew who’ve noticed a high difference. Celebs will get bitten to shreds as it’s so humid. It’s going to drive them nuts, as the bites are so itchy.”
The show’s medic Bob McCarron is also concerned that ticks will leave the celebs debilitated if they do not remove them within hours of them getting under the skin.
He predicts up to three of the stars will suffer with serious tick bites and said: “I’ve met all 10 celebs and I have told them a minimum of three of them will have ticks.
“It will happen and they are my biggest problem. They are OK if you get them off within 12 hours but if they are on for any longer, they just get you general malaise and headaches.
“The celebs have been wining and dining before they go into camp and then they walk in and they are dehydrated and if they get a tick, they go down very quickly.”
Bob, 67, has also removed two snakes from camp but is most fearful of any roughscaled snakes that could emerge once the wet weather goes away.
He added: “It is only about as long as my finger and is a dirty brown colour.
“They are deadly and they have enough poison to kill 12 people. They could wipe the whole camp out in theory.”