.png?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800 "I’m A Celebrity… South Africa: Meet the cast of 2026 series, from Gemma Collins to Mo Farah")
It won’t be winter, however I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is again on our screens with a cast of acquainted faces and fan favourites taking up model new trials and challenges in the South African wilderness.
I’m A Celebrity… South Africa first aired in 2023 (when Myleene Klass was the winner), however the all-star spin-off has stayed off air since then, with ITV specializing in the predominant collection in Australia as an alternative.
The present returns to ITV on Monday (6 April), with a core cast of eight former contestants (and a few very thrilling latecomers) heading to South Africa to compete in the competitors as soon as extra.
Like collection one, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa has already been recorded, as opposed to the Australia present which airs in real-time and options dwell parts. However, collection two comes with a twist, the place the closing might be filmed dwell again residence in the UK, permitting viewers to vote on their winner.
Here’s who you possibly can anticipate to see in the wild…
Scarlett Moffatt
She is likely to be one of the few winners amongst the South Africa contestants, however Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, 35, has admitted that she’s fairly terrified about returning to the present.
“I was a bit overwhelmed,” she mentioned of being requested again. “Out of all the people they could pick, I felt grateful that I was even a thought because so many people have done it.”
And whereas issues might need modified quite a bit for Moffatt in the decade since she jetted off to the jungle, together with the delivery of her son, the actuality star nonetheless appears to be like again on her time in camp with fondness.
“It’s quite good facing your fears,” she says. “You feel invincible and [like] a superhero! It also taught me to be myself. I am so happy and grateful I got that experience when I was in my mid 20s.”
Seann Walsh
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For comic Seann Walsh, I’m A Celebrity in 2022 was a significant step on the means to rebuilding his public picture after his Strictly Come Dancing dishonest scandal. And whereas getting into camp as a latecomer alongside former Tory well being minister Matt Hancock might need been an amazing expertise in itself, the comedian credit the competitors for giving him a brand new lease of life.
“It changed my life in a very positive way. I was able to go back on tour again and sell out rooms again. I am forever grateful,” he says.
Jungle life was additionally unexpectedly satisfying; that is what had him saying “yes” to returning. “I had so much fun the first time around, I didn’t have to think for very long about whether I should do it or not.”
Since showing on the present, the place he positioned fifth to Hancock’s third place, Walsh has turn out to be a father to two kids, and admits that point aside can be his predominant problem.
“If my daughter says, ‘I love you daddy,’ I start crying. Being apart from them is going to be difficult whilst I am there,” he mentioned.
Beverley Callard
For most I’m A Celebrity campmates, heading to the jungle means leaving the chilly British winters behind for the tropical (if typically nonetheless moist) summer season down underneath. But for the cast of 2020’s Covid-era collection – of which Giovanna Fletcher was the winner – it was a completely totally different story. Rather than jetting off to Australia, the rivals lived in a fortress in Wales.
For long-standing Coronation Street favorite Beverley Callard, participating in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will present a primary style of the extra conventional jungle expertise. “Wales was so different. We didn’t get to experience the Australian jungle and the bedroom was minus one [degree],” she mentioned.
Despite this, Callard had a whale of a time. “I loved it all. The daily tasks, the clothes we wore, not having my phone and not wearing any make-up,” she mentioned.
Since filming in South Africa, Callard has confronted a significant well being shock, having revealed in February that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and swiftly undergoing surgery.
She has since returned to work, and appeared at the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa launch occasion, so viewers can anticipate to see her at the dwell closing.
David Haye
It’s been 14 years since boxer David Haye appeared in the jungle, ending in third place to Charlie Brooks, along with his life altering considerably since then.
Haye, 45, underwent spinal surgical procedure in 2015 and retired from boxing for good three years later – and that is not even contemplating the moderately unconventional, rumoured throuple he discovered himself in.
And whereas he was bitten by a bandicoot in camp the first time round, Haye insists that nothing may terrify him about jetting off to South Africa.
“I do feel more prepared this time, because I know what to expect, and the trials in Australia weren’t that physical for me,” he mentioned.
Despite having misplaced out to Ashley Roberts the first time round (who’s additionally heading again), Haye admitted that he “hadn’t really thought about [winning] to be honest”. “I had a good time in Australia and I was the last man standing… I got bronze and I was on the podium!” he mentioned.
Sinitta
Pop star Sinitta produced a lot of memorable moments when she competed in the jungle in 2011, however the singer, 62, has admitted that her I’m A Celebrity expertise was considerably missing.
“I did trial after trial and then I got voted out. I didn’t get to reconcile with living outside and being in camp,” she mentioned. “I thought doing the show would cure me of all my phobias, but it didn’t.”
The “So Macho” pop star hopes that returning to the camp for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will enable her to conquer these fears – in spite of everything, she says, “it is quite debilitating being afraid of everything”.
Sinitta is most wanting ahead to assembly the new campmates at this “crazy retreat”. “Some people pay to do something like this,” she mentioned, including: “I’m also hoping that it will be a bit like an epiphany where I do find the courage and walk away with the feeling that I can do anything else I want to.”
Sir Mo Farah
Like Callard, legendary British athlete Sir Mo Farah additionally missed out on the correct jungle expertise as he took half in the competitors in Wales in 2020.
“It was so much fun doing I’m A Celebrity in Wales but mentally, you always knew you were in the UK,” mentioned the 43-year-old, who was knighted in 2017 and retired in 2023. “It was also very cold. Being in South Africa is going to be different. It’s sunny, warm, and as soon as I got the call inviting me, I knew I wanted to be part of the series.”
And whereas fifth place was a powerful feat, he has his eye on the “Jungle Legend” title this time round. “I’ve overcome a lot of things throughout my life and I will be going in fully prepared,” he mentioned.
Here’s simply hoping that there are no snake duties concerned in the course of, as a result of Farah cannot stand them. “Even speaking about snakes makes me feel terrified,” he said.
Ashley Roberts
Since being named Queen of the Jungle in 2012, Roberts has taken many different career paths. She’s reached the Strictly Come Dancing final, become a radio presenter on Heart’s breakfast show, starred in the West End, and is currently in the process of returning to the stage with the recently reunited Pussycat Dolls.
Despite filming taking place in Australia, Roberts, 44, credits I’m A Celebrity with her relocation to the UK. “I’ve lived in the UK ever since I left the jungle 14 years ago and that in itself is amazing,” she says.
Also gave her a much needed confidence boost. “You had to prove yourself doing those challenges and by the end, I felt like I was Jane of the jungle!” she said. “Whatever life was going to throw at me next, I knew I’d be able to handle it.”
Some 14 years later, the chance to take on the trials again has come into her orbit, and Roberts is mostly excited, if a little nervous. “I am not going to lie – I have had some sleepless nights before arriving in South Africa,” she says. “My boyfriend [artist George Rollinson], bless him, has been such a fantastic cheerleader and supporter in the run-up as a result of I’ve been so nervous. He retains telling me I’m going to smash it, which is beautiful. I simply need to attempt my finest.”
Adam Thomas
Certainly one of the jungle’s smiliest campmates, Adam Thomas (or “Mr Bushtucker Trial”, as he referred to as himself) relished assembly so many individuals when he reached the closing on I’m A Celebrity in 2016.
“I’d like to think I am a people person and I love meeting new people. I’m genuinely looking forward to meeting some more new people. The jungle gives you the time to switch off,” he mentioned.
The dad-of-two, whose brothers Ryan and Scott are additionally in the leisure enterprise, mentioned that he’d be glad to see any of the class of 2016 in there – simply as nicely, as he’ll be dealing with off towards Moffatt, who pipped him to the put up the first time round.
Returning to the present, Thomas says that he feels ready, including: “But with the jungle, you expect the unexpected! It’s going to be completely different and I will take it for what it is.”
Latecomers
Gemma Collins
One of I’m A Celebrity‘s most iconic – and shortest lived – contestants ever, Gemma Collins made certain that her time in the jungle was one no one may overlook earlier than she withdrew from the jungle three days in again in 2014.
The Only Way Is Essex star, 45, has spoken about wanting to redo her time in the jungle, and was revealed to be getting into as a latecomer at the launch occasion, the place she instructed The Independent and different information shops that the choice to stop had “haunted her”.
“I spent my whole life with this black cloud hanging over my head, it was the one regret I had,” she said. Still, Collins was “bricking it” to return in South Africa, until she received some tough love from her team.
“My make-up artist slapped me at Heathrow airport because I said, ‘I don’t think I can go through with this,’” she joked. “But I took a deep breath, I went in strong and to be honest I think I shut it down. You’ll see me vulnerable in there, you’ll see me thinking I’m Lara Croft. But I’m delighted I did it, we laughed so much.”
Craig Charles
He formed an unexpected friendship with Collins on the 2014 series, but Red Dwarf star and DJ Craig Charles, 61, also saw his time in the jungle cut short following the death of his brother Dean.
Speaking at the launch, Charles revealed that coming back now in his 60s had proven a very different challenge.
“The last time it was quite cruelly cut short because my brother Dean passed away, so when they came back and asked, I just thought, yeah,” he said. “But as soon as I hit 60, my stamina has fallen off a cliff. I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to do it.”
Harry Redknapp
The 2018 series of I’m A Celebrity is many fans’ favourite, thanks to football manager Harry Redknapp and The Inbetweeners star Emily Atack respectively taking the winner and runner-up spots.
The only male winner to come back for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, Redknapp, 79, was quick to declare that “King Harry is back!” Nice and modest, then!
Jimmy Bullard
Another member of the class of 2014, former footballer Jimmy Bullard flew Down Under with the bookies predicting him as a probable winner. But after he clashed with X Factor star Jake Quickenden (one thing he later denied to be bullying), Bullard, was the first star to be eradicated from the present.
The 47-year-old solely took half in a single trial throughout his preliminary run on the present. It concerned eels, crabs and water pythons, with the sports activities star saying as he appeared again that he’d “never been that scared in all my life”.
“I’m saying it now, but if I was in that scenario again, I’d try and get through it,” he mentioned. Will I’m A Celebrity… South Africa be the place for spherical two? You’ll have to tune in to discover out.
