This year's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! lineup is being described as the "most-prepared ever," with several contestants having already taken part in endurance activities in some of the world's toughest climates. The show's production team has been taken aback by how ready this group is, according to a show insider.
Contestants with Extreme Experience
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."
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.
Surviving the Wilderness
The 53-year-old took part in BBC Two's Beyond Boundaries in 2005, joining 10 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. 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. But 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."
Other Stars with Outdoor Credentials
YouTube star Sharky has already taken part in a 24-hour survival challenge in the Australian wilderness, while model Leomie Anderson experienced life in the Costa Rican jungle during Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt. Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu has spent time in the freezing Chilean Andes during Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Mariella, 63, is another contestant with considerable experience of the outdoors, having spent years travelling and hiking in remote destinations. The broadcaster met her husband, human rights lawyer Jason McCue, in the foothills of Mount Everest. Speaking about her enthusiasm for walking in difficult conditions, she declared: "That's why I like a hill and a storm." She has also hiked the Inca Trail in Peru and has recently spoken of her appetite for further adventures, including the possibility of trekking through the Colombian jungle with her husband.
In an interview earlier this year, she said: "I have more of an appetite for adventure and also a sense of 'it's now or maybe never' – so time to get on with it."
Challenges Faced by Other Contestants
Sharky, 30, has already experienced the Australian wilderness after taking part in a Beta Squad YouTube challenge called We Survived 24 Hours In The Jungle in July 2023. The social media star teamed up with fellow creator King Kenny against Niko Omilana and Chunkz, with the groups dropped in separate locations and given maps and compasses to navigate their way through the Outback.
Leomie, 33, has also experienced the Costa Rican wilderness after appearing in Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside stars including Mel B and Boris Becker. Leomie became the first celebrity eliminated and subsequently complained that she had been "robbed" of the opportunity to demonstrate her abilities.
AJ, 38, meanwhile, took part in Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019, undergoing a military-style selection course in the Chilean Andes. The presenter faced freezing temperatures, exhausting physical challenges and basic living conditions. She also underwent a 13-hour interrogation and afterwards said that the experience had left her needing therapy. 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."
Other celebs taking part include Wayne Rooney, who was today seen at Manchester airport, Joanna Page, Claire Sweeney, Ricky Wilson, Chloe Burrows, Leigh Francis and Jack Skipper.
