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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Mark Jefferies & Victoria Johns

Beaming Dec Donnelly arrives for I'm A Celeb with wife Ali and kids after 22 hour flight

Declan Donnelly was all smiles as he arrived in Australia with his wife Ali and two children ahead of the launch of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Speaking to the Mirror, Dec said working on the show would be different now he's a family man - and he may have to rope pal Ant in for some babysitting.

The father-of-two, 47, cut a casual figure as he rocked up at Brisbane airport after taking an Emirates flight from Heathrow via Dubai - which took 22 hours in total.

Dec was joined by wife Ali, their daughter Isla, four and baby son Jack ahead of the start of the ITV show which kicks off on November 6 at 9pm.

The beaming dad said: "We have got the family here, baby Jack. And Isla is here, we have got the whole gang.

"It is a bit more stressful coming now, you watch less movies. But it is fine and great to be able to bring them out. We can have a bit of family time as well as getting the series going as well."

On the line up he said: "I can neither confirm or deny any of the people of course.

"I found out the line up a couple of months ago when we were shooting the South Africa show. We have just posted a reaction video on social media. We are really excited , it is really excited to be back and I cant wait to get going."

Asked if he might rope in Ant for some babysitting he laughed and said "absolutely".

Dec had been on the same Emirates flight as contestant Charlene White.

The Loose Women star made her way through airport departures just moments before the ITV presenter.

Charlene joins the likes of Chris Moyles, Olivia Attwood, Sue Cleaver, Owen Warner and Lioness star Jill Scott, who have all been papped in Oz as they get ready for their stint in the jungle.

Also in Australia is Dec's best pal Ant, who arrived in the country with his wife Anne-Marie Corbett.

The couple wasted no time in enjoying all the sun-soaked idyll has to offer as they were seen heading for a spot of lunch in Queensland ahead of the show's launch.

ITV is said to be taking no chances with any of the contestants catching Covid before the show start and has reportedly asked the celebs to isolate in Australia upon their arrival.

A source told the Mirror: "The Celebs normally arrive over a four or five day period and some come in just a day or two before filming and are still a bit jet lagged in camp.

Charlene White was all smiles as she made her entrance (Tim Merry / Daily Star)

"But there is none of that happening this year, everyone will be here a week before they get into camp and some are coming out 10 days before.

"They will be staying in nice places so it won't be like a prison cell but they won't want them mixing with people. Once they are out of the airport the idea is to keep them alone as much as possible to minimise any risk of them having to quit the show.

"ITV don't want to jeopardise the show because of covid as it has caused them so many problems in the last two years and stopped the show being in Australia for so long."

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