Ant and Dec have named the 'worst' I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestants that left them fuming, as speculation builds over who will brave the jungle when the show returns for its 26th series.
ITV is keeping the full cast under wraps for now, but rumoured names – such as Wayne Rooney, Jesy Nelson, cricket legend Ben Stokes and even Jeremy Clarkson – are already giving fans plenty to talk about.
Football could delay launch
Football looks set to disrupt the show's usual Sunday launch, with ITV due to screen England's UEFA Nations League clash against Spain on Sunday, 15 November. That fixture is expected to push the celebrities' jungle debut back a day. As a result, the new series is widely anticipated to begin on Monday, 16 November 2026.
As always, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will be heading back to the Australian jungle to present the main three-week reality programme.
Katie Hopkins and Matt Hancock
Ant labelled media figure Katie Hopkins as amongst his 'least favourite' contestants because she "didn't really shine" and made little impression during her appearance on the show. Katie, 44, rose to prominence on The Apprentice in 2007 before participating in that year's series of I'm A Celebrity.
Ant, 43, proceeded to clarify why viewers scarcely noticed her on screen. He told The Sun: "Katie Hopkins was in I'm A Celebrity but you wouldn't really remember her doing it, as she didn't really shine."
From the moment ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock was confirmed, the presenters expected "uneasy tensions". Viewers also accused them of displaying "favouritism" by appearing friendlier towards other campmates while keeping a noticeable distance from Hancock during trials.
The presenting duo additionally deployed their trademark wit to deliver subtle jabs at Hancock throughout the series. During one challenge, Ant ridiculed Hancock for being a "typical politician who wouldn't stop talking" as he offered continuous commentary on every aspect of the trial to his partner.
Following Hancock's rendition of several lines from Ed Sheeran's "Perfect," Dec quipped that the singer would be "gutted" to learn Hancock was a fan. The pair also showed clear frustration when Hancock let the camp's rice burn, with Ant pointing out it had been Hancock's responsibility to watch it, saying it would make him "very angry" if he were in the camp.
Following the broadcast, Dec admitted to HuffPost UK it was "very, very difficult" to stay neutral, given that everyone across the country, presenters included, had been impacted by Hancock's decisions during the pandemic.
Dean McCullough and Kelly Brook
The dynamic between Ant and Dec and radio host Dean McCullough during the 2024 series of I'm A Celebrity was characterised by visible irritation that gradually evolved into "tough love" and eventual praise.
In the early episodes of the series, Ant was clearly frustrated by Dean's performance in the Bushtucker Trials, particularly after Dean withdrew early from both the "Sinister Sarcophagus" and "Drown in the Dumps" tasks.
The presenter later acknowledged on companion programme Unpacked that he felt "unprofessional" for allowing his irritation to show on camera, confessing he was "angry" because he believed the trials Dean abandoned were "doable".
Ant and Dec eventually looked directly into the camera to encourage viewers to stop voting for Dean, remarking it was "good to see other faces" and that watching the same participant repeatedly falter was becoming "boring".
Ant also jokingly said he would "never" follow Dean on Instagram. After Dean left the jungle, the presenters clarified their firm approach was designed to spur him on to improved performances.
During his post-elimination interview, Ant told Dean: "I was so angry at you for calling 'I'm A Celebrity'... then that tough love kind of got you through".
Ant proceeded to praise Dean's effort in the "flying challenge," describing him as "brilliant" and voicing pride in how Dean finished his jungle experience.
Ant and Dec are said to have an ongoing "feud" with Kelly Brook stretching back to her short stint on Britain's Got Talent. The friction originates from 2009, when Kelly Brook was brought in as a fourth judge on Britain's Got Talent (BGT) but was removed after merely two days of recording.
In their autobiography Ooh! What a Lovely Pair, Dec remembered attempting to calm a nervous Kelly on her first day. When he mentioned the show would be enjoyable, she supposedly responded, "And what do you do on the show?"
Ant and Dec were reportedly irritated that Simon Cowell had introduced a fourth judge without consulting them. Dec wrote they couldn't identify a "good reason" why she was on the panel.
The presenting pair tackled their long-speculated feud with Kelly throughout the 2025 series of I'm A Celeb, primarily by making light of it on the spin-off programme Unpacked. While discussing the campmates' culinary skills, Ant joked that every meal they'd prepared looked "rancid".
When it was noted that Kelly Brook and Martin Kemp were in charge of catering, Dec playfully asked Ant, "What's your problem with Kelly Brook?"
Ant swiftly responded, "Don't you start! I don't have a problem with Kelly Brook, thank you!"
Despite their complex history, the hosting pair maintained complete professionalism and courtesy during all their on-screen exchanges, including Kelly's post-eviction interview.
'Worst' season of the show
Ant and Dec officially declared the 2022 contestants the "worst ever group" after their dismal showing in trials throughout the entire series.
The original 10 celebrity participants who entered the jungle at the programme's launch were singer Boy George, former Lioness Jill Scott MBE, ex-rugby player Mike Tindall MBE, Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner, ITV News' Charlene White, radio DJ Chris Moyles, comedian Babatúndé Aléshé, Coronation Street actress Sue Cleaver, A Place in the Sun's Scarlette Douglas and Love Island's Olivia Attwood.
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP and comedian Seann Walsh later joined as late arrivals. During a live Instagram broadcast titled Jungle Club, Ant and Dec spoke candidly after the celebrities repeatedly struggled with Kev's Deals on Wheels trials.
Dec informed viewers: "I think they're officially the worst at the challenges," while Ant concurred, describing them as the "worst ever!" Ant took his criticism even further, calling the 2022 contestants a "bunch of idiots" following their failure to answer 7 out of 10 questions correctly.
One instance that especially annoyed the hosts occurred when the campmates couldn't accurately state how many studio albums Adele has released.
Ant additionally questioned their wilderness capabilities earlier in the series, describing them as "helpless".
Remarkably, while the duo expressed frustration with their trial performances, they'd demonstrated considerable enthusiasm when the line-up was originally revealed, with their reaction footage capturing them exclaiming "Yes!" and "Oh he's going to cry!" upon first viewing the participant roster.
