I'd have more sympathy for ITVs declining income if they were not so extravagant

ITV, as we are constantly reminded, is an organisation in some trouble.

It is finding it difficult to stay ahead of BBC2 some weeks in terms of prime time viewing, it paid massively over the odds for the Friends Reunited website, and even before the recession, its incomes from advertising was sharply in decline. Yes, ITV are sacking hundreds of journalists around the country in order to slash costs.

Yet when you hear about what they are lavishing on people in Australia for "I'm a Celebrity - Get me out of here !", it really does make you wonder if ITV is not the architect of its own misfortune.

A friend of mine knows one of the family members of one of the "I'm a celebrity" contestants, and this person has been treated like royalty by ITV.

Just to give you the lowdown on what family members and friends taken over to Australia by ITV can expect

1) A limo to pick you up from your house to take you to the airport.
2) First class travel.
3) Accommodation in one of only two 7* hotels in Australia, with each suite having a private pool, and all this for the duration of the series.

Yes, indeed, when ITV next try to justify sacking journalists someone should ask them why they cannot put family members in a 5* hotel, why they cannot fly them business class, and do they really need a limo when a taci could do ?