TV presenter Kemi Rodgers has given fans an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, sharing what iconic hosts Ant and Dec are truly like when the cameras stop rolling.
Dream Come True in the Jungle
Rodgers, who co-hosts the companion show I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked alongside Joel Dommett, admitted she was initially curious about meeting the legendary Geordie duo in person. Having grown up watching them on television, she wondered if their real-life personalities would match their on-screen chemistry.
The 49-year-old presenting duo have fronted the main ITV show since 2002, and according to Rodgers, they live up to every expectation. She revealed to The Mirror that Ant and Dec are 'exactly the same off-screen as they are on', describing the experience of working with them as a dream come true.
The Secret to Their Success
Rodgers didn't hold back in her praise for the presenting pair, emphasising that their authenticity is key to their enduring popularity. She believes they are 'half the show' thanks to their hilarious reactions to the celebrities' trials and tribulations.
'They are as nice, as jokey, as funny with each other and everyone else as they are on screen,' Rodgers explained. She particularly valued the moments when Ant and Dec would join her on the Unpacked sofa, where they could share their deeper thoughts on the jungle events without the time constraints of the main show.
This collaboration provides viewers with 'a really great insight into the minds of two of the best loved presenters in Britain', according to the CapitalFM host.
Why Kemi Would Never Enter the Jungle
Despite her close proximity to the action, Rodgers has completely ruled out ever becoming a jungle contestant herself. Her experience working on the spin-off has shown her exactly how the 'sausage is made', and it's convinced her she'd be 'horrific in the jungle'.
The former Mirror journalist confessed that even the brief time she spends in the audio tent getting her microphone fitted is enough to terrify her, thanks to the close encounters with creepy crawlies that happen off-camera.
'If I can't be in the microphone tent and the audio tent, goodness, I'd hate to see what I'm like in the actual camp!' she laughed. Rodgers believes it would be 'the biggest, toughest thing' she's ever done and doubts she'd even make it through a single trial.
I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs daily at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, followed by Unpacked on ITV2, where viewers can catch more of Rodgers' and Dommett's jungle analysis.
