TV presenter AJ Odudu has revealed she is "terrified" and "petrified" about entering the Australian jungle for the new series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, which begins next week. The 38-year-old, known for hosting Big Brother, is one of eleven celebrities on this year's starting line-up for the ITV competition.
The Blackburn-born star has already landed in Australia ahead of entering the camp. In a video posted to her Instagram story, she explained why she had been keeping her participation a secret.
AJ Odudu's Fears and Excitement
AJ said: "I'm freaking out. Let me tell you, I have been avoiding my friends, dodging press interviews, lying through my teeth. And now you know why, because I'm heading Down Under. I am so excited. I love this show, I've wanted to do it for the longest time, so I'm like, 'bring it on!'".
She continued: "But I'm also so terrified. I'm from Blackburn, so I'm used to a bit of rain, but I'm not used to snakes falling out of the sky onto my head; that's gonna freak me out. And have you seen the size of those spiders? My word! They're unnecessarily huge. I am ready to take on the challenge, I think, but I'm also really petrified."
Fans Back the Former Strictly Star
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant joked: "If you see me crying over a cockroach on the TV, no, you didn't. Mind your business."
While some viewers are backing Wayne Rooney as a potential winner, AJ has a considerable fanbase supporting her on social media. One Instagram commenter said: "Winner right there," while another agreed: "LOVE!!!! our winner x." Others predicted she would be "quite funny" and "hilarious in the trials," with one fan adding: "LURRRRVE HER. Her energy- if you could bottle it & sell it? I'd buy it. She's definitely my winner. I wasn't even going to watch this year, but I'll have to now."
AJ's Strategy and the 2026 Line-Up
Before joining the show, AJ revealed her preparation strategy, telling ITV: "In the run-up, I've been indulging, carb loading, drinking coffee and enjoying every treat. I'm going to go cold turkey when I enter camp - that's my tactic! I am going to take each day as it comes. I am feeling both excited and nervous."
Other notable 2026 cast members include former Love Islander Chloe Burrows, YouTuber Sharky, real name Sharmarke Mohamud, and Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page. I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! starts Monday 16th November at 9pm on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
