The seventh series of the jungle-set reality programme peaked at 9.15pm with a 40% share on ITV1.
It drew an average audience of 8.7m and a 38% share. The last series averaged 8.1m and a 34% share.
This year's contestants include: former Catatonia singer Cerys Matthews; former 'Hollyoaks' actress Gemma Atkinson; Janice Dickinson; Lynne Franks; Rodney Marsh; and Anna Ryder Richardson. As ever, Ant and Dec host the proceedings.
However, last night's opening failed to top the opening episode of last year's sixth series, which attracted 200,000 extra viewers and starred David Gest, Myleene Klass and Matt Willis.
'I'm a Celebrity...' was scheduled the in the 9pm-10.30pm slot against BBC One's period drama 'Heroes and Villains', featuring Tom Burke as Napoleon.
'Heroes and Villains' was watched by 2.1m and a 9% share between 9-10pm, while Stephen Poliakoff's 'Capturing Mary', a companion piece to last week's 'Joe's Palace', pulled in 3m and a 13% share in the same slot, handing BBC Two a bigger audience than its parent channel.
Channel 4 repeated a 'Time Team' special to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6 1944. The show, which was scheduled in the 9pm slot, was watched by 1.7m and a 7% share.
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