The new series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is pulling no punches, launching its celebrity contestants directly into heart-pounding action from the very first moment. Viewers can expect an explosive start when the show returns on Sunday, 16th November at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX.
Dramatic Jungle Arrival
The opening episode will see five famous faces immediately thrust into the deep end. The group will be transported by helicopter before making the dramatic leap into the jungle. Leading the charge is Brit Award-winning rapper Aitch, who found himself sharing the helicopter with Heart Radio presenter and model Kelly Brook, prompting him to excitedly exclaim, 'I'm in a heli with Kelly!'
Following close behind are comedian Eddie Kadi and EastEnders favourite Shona McGarty, with actor and pop icon Martin Kemp completing the high-flying lineup. Martin Kemp has already acknowledged the pressure, referencing his son Roman Kemp's 2019 stint on the show. He stated, 'The pressure is on me to do a bit better than that! I'd love to say I don't wanna win, but I do...'
No Rest for the Famous
The adrenaline doesn't stop after the celebrities touch down on the shoreline. Hosts Ant and Dec are waiting with another curveball, unveiling a challenge that will determine how the group enters the main camp. A luxurious reward is up for grabs: the best beds in camp, a steak supper, and a far more glamorous journey into the jungle, complete with cocktails and canapés.
To fight for this prize, the stars must take their places on a giant star-shaped rig. Their mission is to race to free a Getaway car key fob tied to a length of rope. This involves plunging into a foul mixture of offal and slime to find five specific tools. Each tool is needed to release a separate bolt on a wall, and only after removing all five can a contestant claim the key fob.
As the clock ticks down, the stakes become clear. Two celebrities will win the stylish entrance, while the remaining three will face the infamous 'Cockie Van' with the legendary Kiosk Kev.
A Deliberately Tougher Season
This year marks a significant shift in the show's 25-year format. After a more tame series in 2023 featuring Coleen Rooney and McFly's Danny Jones, ITV bosses are intentionally making this the 'toughest' year yet. New measures have been introduced to ensure celebrities 'fight more', 'earn their keep', and cannot 'sit back in the shadows'.
One major change is the removal of the 'luxury item' feature, where loved ones would send home comforts like personalised pillows. This has been scrapped to keep the celebrities 'on their toes'. Instead, they can now earn a framed picture of someone of their choice by completing a challenge.
Olly Nash, the show's executive producer, told the Daily Mail, 'It's a tough and gruelling show, and there's nothing wrong with driving that home. We need to see more celebrities earning their keep, that's the most important thing. We have more celebrities taking part in the trials than we ever have before, so it's more of a competition.'
He added, 'Last year, we had a great positive happy cast that all joined together and had a happy time. This year they are going to have to fight more, earn more and play a bigger part in camp. No longer can they be just sitting on the beds in the back, they are going to have to step up to the challenge.'
Day-to-day camp life has also been made more difficult. For example, if a contestant wants a bath, two campmates must cycle on a tandem bike to pump the water out, ensuring everyone is constantly involved and there is less room to hide.
Another crucial new rule, introduced after fan feedback, states that if a celebrity has been put forward for two trials in a row, they are exempt from the following public vote. This change comes after last year's situation where Dean McCullough was voted for seven Bushtucker Trials consecutively, prompting viewers on X to call for a 'trial limit'.
With a lineup primed for friction and a production team determined to push them to their limits, I'm A Celebrity 2024 promises to be a gruelling and unforgettable battle for the crown.
