The upcoming series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here is being tipped as the most "jungle ready" line-up in the show's 26-year history, according to insiders.
The new series begins on ITV on Monday, November 16, with Ant and Dec returning to present. Viewers will see which celebrities can handle life in camp, including Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney, broadcaster Mariella Frostrup, 63, and comedian Leigh Francis, known as Keith Lemon.
Contestants with Real Wilderness Experience
Paralympian Ade Adepitan spent four weeks trekking 220 miles through the Nicaraguan jungle in a customised wheelchair, while Mariella Frostrup has hiked in the foothills of Mount Everest and explored remote parts of South America.
YouTube star Sharky, who rose to fame with the Beta Squad collective alongside King Kenny and Niko Omilana, has completed a 24-hour survival challenge in the Australian wilderness. Model Leomie Anderson experienced the Costa Rican jungle during Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt, and Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu spent time in the freezing Chilean Andes during Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Insiders Praise Hardy Line-Up
A show insider said: "The show can be very tough at times especially when the weather turns and hunger kicks in but this year's jungle intake are much more hardy than usual and should be able to take being in the wilderness in their stride. The casting team couldn't believe it when the extent of the contestants' experience became clear - it should, in theory, be a walk in the park for some of them."
Ade, 53, took part in BBC Two's Beyond Boundaries in 2005, joining ten other disabled adventurers on a four-week expedition across Nicaragua. Led by former SAS major Ken Hames, Ade travelled from the Atlantic to the Pacific, crossing tropical rainforest, rivers and mountains.
Volcano Climb and Other Feats
The expedition included an attempt to climb the Concepción volcano, where Ade's teammates initially tried to haul his wheelchair up the steep slopes using ropes. When the terrain became too difficult, he abandoned his wheelchair and continued on his hands and knees.
He said: "I just got out of the chair, and as I got out of the chair, I'm like, 'I'm getting up this volcano one way or another. I don't care how I get up it, I'm just going to get up it'. I just started crawling and I remember all of them looking at me just thinking, 'What is he doing?' It was a live volcano, and it was boiling hot, burning hot. Every time I was touching the ground, I could feel it burning my hands, burning my knees."
Mariella, 63, has spent years travelling and hiking in remote destinations. She met her husband, human rights lawyer Jason McCue, in the foothills of Mount Everest. Speaking about her enthusiasm for walking in difficult conditions, she said: "That's why I like a hill and a storm." She has also hiked the Inca Trail in Peru and has spoken of her appetite for further adventures, including the possibility of trekking through the Colombian jungle with her husband.
Survival Challenges and Past Experiences
Sharky, 30, took part in a Beta Squad YouTube challenge called We Survived 24 Hours In The Jungle in July 2023. He teamed up with King Kenny against Niko Omilana and Chunkz, with the groups dropped in separate locations and given maps and compasses to navigate the Outback.
Leomie, 33, appeared in Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside stars including Mel B and Boris Becker. She became the first celebrity eliminated and complained that she had been "robbed" of the opportunity to demonstrate her abilities.
AJ, 38, took part in Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019, undergoing a military-style selection course in the Chilean Andes. She faced freezing temperatures, exhausting physical challenges and basic living conditions, and underwent a 13-hour interrogation. Speaking about the psychological impact, she said: "Three months after I was still seeing a therapist because I was so traumatised by the whole experience."
