Former Rydal Penrhos pupil Dr Mark Baker declared his delight after I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here announced it was returning to Gwrych Castle.
The castle restoration project inspired by the exceptional dedication of a former Rydal Penrhos pupil received another incredible boost with the return of a popular reality television series to the site.
Dr Mark Baker and the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust have done some truly incredible work restoring the site to its former glory in recent years, which has been a life-long passion of his and began whilst still a pupil at Rydal Penrhos.
The castle will once again play host to I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2021, with COVID-19 travel restrictions preventing the series from being filmed from their usual location in Australia for the second straight year.
Speaking to the Rhyl Journal, Dr Baker said: “I’m absolutely delighted that I’m A Celebrity has chosen Gwrych Castle to be its UK location for the 2021 series.
“Gwrych Castle is a beautiful grade I listed historic house and a must-see destination for tourists visiting Wales.
“I’m A Celebrity being here will really help support its ongoing restoration as well as giving the region a much-needed economic boost. We are all very excited to be working with the team again.”
Dr Baker attended the Prep School before moving on to Rydal Penrhos senior school, where his passion to get the castle back to prominence started.
The Grade I listed site was left to rot for decades, but the Trust has worked tirelessly over the last decade to restore rooms and gardens across the picturesque area.
The trust bought the castle in 2018 and a substantial effort from Dr Baker and the Trust enabled its grounds to be opened to the public soon after.
Dr Baker and Rydal Penrhos still have a close association. The school held a recent community action day during Activity Week, which saw pupils and staff travel to Gwrych Castle for a clean-up project to get the site looking fantastic for summer holiday visitors.
The former pupil recently attended Rydal Penrhos for a special presentation to the winners of the Year 3-6 ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ themed challenges, which took place over a three-week period and culminated in a final ‘Escape the Cellar’ task that was their toughest of the entire initiative.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos is absolutely thrilled for Dr Baker and Gwrych Castle regarding this news. It’s fantastic to see so much hard work continuing to pay off.
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