I'm a Celebrity: Anglesey's Penmon lighthouse steals the show

Standing on a blustery cliff face overlooking a lighthouse, a rainbow in the distance, Vernon Kay looked out on the view and said one word, "mega".

On Sunday night more than 10 million viewers tuned in to I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, the largest audience since the show's 2018 final.

This year due to coronavirus, instead of being held in the heat of the Australian jungle the show is being held in the markedly chillier Gwrych Castle, in Abergele.

But the show, hosted by Ant and Dec, started with the celebrities arriving at a cliff face on Anglesey - almost 40 miles (64km) away.

And forget the 10 celebrities, much of the talk was of the staggeringly beautiful scenery, and of one stand out star... the island's Trwyn Du lighthouse.

There are now hopes that the shots of breathtakingly stunning coastlines will provide a much needed tourism boost in north Wales, after months of closures during the pandemic.

During the broadcast many took to social media to share happy memories of visiting the lighthouse - also known as Penmon's - which was built in 1838 to mark the north entrance to the Menai Strait.

Anglesey council told BBC Wales it hoped the filming of the Anglesey coast would boost visits to the island post-coronavirus restrictions.

While travel within Wales is currently unlimited, people are not allowed to travel from across the border for anything but essential reasons - which does not include holidays or sight-seeing.

Senior Development Officer for Tourism and Marketing Michael Thomas said: "From a tourism perspective, to have such a popular television programme filming here was great and we're pleased that they were able to showcase areas; including Penmon and our fantastic coastline; as well as other beautiful parts of north Wales.

"This exposure is really creating a buzz locally and will certainly help our tourism businesses and the future of tourism on Anglesey and across north Wales."

There is also hope that the exposure will help with efforts to renovate Gwrych Castle, which is run by a trust, which was started when its founder launched a campaign to save the building, when he was just 13.

The opening of I'm a Celeb on Sunday night, showed helicopters flying over the hills and mountain ranges, over lakes and rivers, while other celebrities arrived by Landrover at a cliff face overlooking the beautiful Trwyn Du Lighthouse, and puffin island, off Anglesey.

"Stunning" and "mega" were just some of the reactions from the campmates, including Sir Mo Farah, Vernon Kay and Beverley Callard.

They then had to abseil down a cliff face to collect their backpacks, padlocked half way down.

Some on social media have raised suspicions that the roads on the way to the opening challenge, were not on Anglesey at all, but had been filmed elsewhere.

ITV said it would not comment on the editing process, but Anglesey council confirmed that only the abseiling challenge was filmed on the island.

Built in 1838 to mark the north entrance to the Menai Strait, the lighthouse is one of over 30 across Wales.

Originally manned by two keepers, the lighthouse now stands empty, with no keepers living there since 1922, and it is now operated from Trinity House's Planning Centre in Harwich, Essex.

Earlier this year the lighthouse was at the centre of its own storm, when Anglesey council approved plans to replace the hazard warning bell with a standard foghorn.

The hazard warning bell had rung around the clock every 30 seconds since 1922, and there were claims the replacement with a foghorn would damage tourism.

But Trinity House, the authority for lighthouses in England and Wales, had said the old system was no longer reliable for mariners and the new device was simpler to operate and maintain.

SO if you've been inspired by the views on I'm a Celeb, here are some of the other lighthouses, which you can see closer to your own home.