Jungle Chaos as Storms Hit Days Before Launch
ITV executives are in a frantic race against time to ensure the launch of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! goes ahead this Sunday, after biblical storms wreaked havoc on the Australian jungle camp. The 2025 series, scheduled to begin on Sunday, 16th November at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, has been plunged into chaos just days before the celebrity contestants are due to arrive.
Camp Submerged as Torrential Rain Falls
The camp in Dungay, New South Wales, has been battered by severe weather, resulting in the sleeping area being completely flooded. Heavy rain has deluged the site, with 7mm of rain already fallen and a further 11mm expected within the next 24 hours. The storm also brought thunder and powerful wind gusts of up to 17mph.
A show source told The Sun: "We're putting our weather contingencies into place to ensure the weather damage is minimal. But this rain is torrential so a wet and soggy camp is inevitable. Never underestimate the Gold Coast weather, it can go from 30-degree heat to biblical storms in minutes."
Production teams are working tirelessly to limit the damage to the iconic camp before the new intake of famous faces, including Ruby Wax and Alex Scott, are due to call it home.
Contingency Plans and a Glimmer of Hope
Despite the disruptive start, there is some positive weather news on the horizon. While heavy rain is also forecast for Sunday's launch day, a significant improvement is predicted for Monday, with temperatures expected to soar to highs of 31C.
This year's series will introduce key changes to the format:
- Contestants will only be able to take part in a maximum of two Bushtucker Trials in a row.
- Fans will get a daily "first look" preview on social media, offering a sneak peek of the evening's show.
The new cohort of celebrities has already been spotted arriving and taking part in their first challenge, which involved sticking their heads into boxes filled with snakes to win stars. The group, which also includes Angry Ginge, Jack Osbourne, and Lisa Riley, were seen meeting hosts Ant and Dec for the first time.
In a separate activity, the remaining five stars—Kelly Brook, Shona McGarty, Eddie Kadi, Martin Kemp, and Aitch—were pictured together for the first time, bonding during a skydive. A source noted they were "getting on really well with each other despite presumably having only just met."
All eyes are now on ITV to see if the show will indeed kick off on Sunday as planned, promising viewers a potentially wetter and wilder start than ever before.
