The North Wales castle which hosted I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here for two years during the Covid pandemic has been revealed as one of the "most at-risk" historical buildings in Wales.
Gwrych Castle is a Grade I listed building located in Abergele and was used for the hit ITV reality series I'm a Celebrity in 2020 and 2021 when the show was unable to be filmed in its usual Australian home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Along with comic duo Ant and Dec, the castle played host to the likes of Vernon Kay, Danny Miller (2021 winner), Frankie Bridge, Sir Mo Farah and Giovanna Fletcher (2020 winner).
Former I'm a Celebrity castle - Gwrych Castle - among 'most at-risk' historical buildings in Wales
Despite I'm a Celebrity returning to Australia in 2022 (onwards) for filming, Gwrych Castle has remained in use, open to the public offering guided tours, holiday programmes for children and even ghost hunts.
I'm a Celeb fans visiting the site will be able to catch a number of elements from the show that remain at the castle as part of its historical exhibition.
It has now been revealed, by the BBC, that Gwrych Castle is among one of the most at-risk historical buildings in Wales.
CADW, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, has previously refused to publish an at-risk register, but has now been forced to under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, according to the BBC.
Gwrych Castle featured among 2,708 listed structures - including cottages, tombstones and telephone boxes on Cadw's list of at-risk historical buildings.
The castle used for I'm a Celeb is one of 715 in the most at-risk section - which is one of three categories on the list.
The preservation trust for Gwrych Castle was given £2.2m in 2023 for repairs because its main 19th-century building was in danger of collapse, the BBC reported.
Powys (101), Gwynedd (71) and Eryri (Snowdonia) were among the locations in Wales with the most at-risk properties.
A Cadw spokesperson said: “Cadw carries out regular condition surveys of listed buildings across Wales. This information is used by local authorities and Cadw to work out which areas to prioritise.
“We intend to publish a report on buildings at risk, which represent a very small percentage of all listed buildings, later this year.”
Gwrych Castle is open on weekends during February and March; open all days except Mondays during April and May, and open every day during June and July.
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