As the latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! unfolds with its trademark drama and challenges, one familiar face continues to captivate viewers from his outback shed. Kiosk Kev, the show's stern shopkeeper, has become an iconic part of the ITV programme, but his life away from the jungle reveals a surprisingly different career path.
The Man Behind the Kiosk
While millions know him as the unsmiling Kiosk Kev who greets celebrities after their Dingo Dollar challenges, the man behind the character is actually Mark Herlarr, a multi-talented entrepreneur with diverse business interests. Rather than being a full-time television personality, Mark leads a completely different life when the cameras stop rolling in the Australian jungle.
Based in Toowoomba near Queensland, where I'm A Celebrity films its Australian seasons, Mark operates as a professional life coach and business advisor. His credentials extend far beyond reality television, boasting 40 years of business experience and 35 years of marriage to what he describes as the "same amazing woman."
A Track Record of Success
Mark's business accomplishments are genuinely impressive. He has built multiple companies over his four-decade career, at one point employing over fifty staff and generating millions of dollars in revenue. His property portfolio is equally substantial, having bought and sold more than forty properties while accumulating a multi-million dollar collection of land and business assets.
In 2017, before becoming the familiar Kiosk Kev, Mark tested his own survival skills as a contestant on Australian Survivor, where 24 castaways were dropped in the Samoan jungle. This experience preceded his current regular role on one of Britain's most-watched television shows.
Beyond Business: Spiritual Guidance and Kombucha
Mark's expertise isn't limited to conventional business advice. He has been recognised as a spiritual mentor after being made a guru of an ashram in Nepal. On Instagram, he outlined his unique approach to coaching, combining practical business wisdom with personal enlightenment.
He founded an online drinks company called Manifest Kombucha, adding entrepreneur to his already diverse resume. By trade, he's also a lime farmer, connecting him to the agricultural roots of his Queensland home.
Reflecting on his impact, Mark stated: "Over the years I've personally helped many people to become more wealthy or put them on a path of greater enlightenment. In some cases the advice I have given has helped turn people's business around and as a result they have also become multi-millionaires by just tweaking some ideas in the right direction."
His journey from reality TV contestant to spiritual guru and beloved television character demonstrates that there's often much more to our favourite TV personalities than meets the eye.
