The new series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! pulled in two million fewer viewers than last year as it launched last night.
An average of 7 million people tuned in to see a cast including Nigel Farage, food critic Grace Dent and YouTuber Nella Rose enter the jungle.
That compares to the 9.1 million who watched the first episode last year with audiences climbing to around 11.5 million when the series ended.
The first episode pulled in a peak audience of 7.8 million.
The former UKIP leader Farage is due to face a bushtucker trial in tonight’s episode following a public vote by fans of the ITV1 series.
He will be joined by Rose during the first eating trial, which has been dubbed the Jungle Pizzeria.
The politician has already said “quite serious physical injuries” will rule him out of taking part in any labour-intensive trials.
In 2010, he was taken to hospital following a plane crash at an airfield near Brackley in Northamptonshire.
His participation follows that of former health secretary Matt Hancock, who came third last year and was chosen to take part in several trials.
When Farage first entered the jungle, he met This Morning host Josie Gibson who made a joke about the UK leaving the European Union.
Explaining entering the reality competition, the 59-year-old said: “It’s not (going to) be easy, but why not?”
Gibson, 38, replied saying: “Can’t be worse than Brexit!”
Farage said it “didn’t take long”, before adding: “I had a feeling we’d get a bit of that.”
In an introduction video, he also told viewers “in the jungle you’re going to find the real me”.
Presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly also made several jokes about Farage during the opening episode of the 23rd series.
They offered an apology to GB News viewers for the fact he will not be presenting his programme while he is away in Australia.
The Geordie duo said: “Sorry Keith, sorry Linda.”
While Farage drove Rose and Gibson to their trials, the presenting pair also said: “Did he veer off a bit too far to the right?”
McPartlin and Donnelly also poked fun at contestant Jamie Lynn Spears, the sister of superstar Britney Spears.
Spears, also known for Nickelodeon children’s series Zoey 101, said she was “best known for being an actress and a singer” in her introduction video.
