ITV apologizes for ‘I’m a Celebrity’ rat killing

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has taken action against two celebrity contestants for apparently killing, cooking and eating a rat on ITV1's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!. Gino D'Acampo, the eventual winner of I'm a Celebrity and contestant Stuart Manning both face criminal charges for animal cruelty. According to Chief Inspector David O'Shannessy, of the New South Wales RSPCA, 'There is a code of conduct in New South Wales that dictates how animals can be used. The killing of a rat for a performance is not acceptable.' ITV has apologized and has vowed to change the show's guidelines to ensure it won't happen again.