A comedian, sports stars, soap actors, broadcasters and tv personalities are among the line-up for this year's I'm A Celebrity. Plus, there's a surprising addition to the jungle 'family', a royal has added their presence to the big names heading for this year's stint in the jungle.
After weeks of speculation, fans finally got the nod that the official line-up had been confirmed on Monday, October 31. And there is not long to wait until the celebs will be seen battling it out for the crown of king or queen of the Jungle. The show starts on Sunday, November 6, being aired on ITV in its usual 9pm slot.
Returning to its home in Australia after a two-year break due to the pandemic, celebrities will leave their plush pads and luxuries far behind as they spend up to three weeks taking on a whole host of challenges under the watchful eye of the public and regular hosts Ant and Dec.
So, who are the 10 celebs heading into the Australian jungle?
Pop icon - Boy George
80s pop-star Boy George is first on the list. He's already said that his biggest fear is being scared so we could be in for some screams, however he says going on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! will be a breeze compared to touring the world.
Boy George shot to fame as lead singer of the pop band Culture Club recording global hit including "Karma Chameleon", "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Time (Clock of the Heart)".
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The star is now up for another challenge. Boy George, whose real name is George Alan O’Dowd, said: “I watch I’m A Celebrity every year and I had to think long and hard about this." He added: "I am in a moment of rediscovery of who I am as a person, artist and older man and I feel like I do make a lot of effort to be in pop culture.
“I am bored of being iconic in the corner and if you want to compete in the world then being part of telly is part of that. This is the biggest show on TV and that is why I am doing it."
Chris Moyles
Radio X presenter Chris Moyles admits that "I am petrified of heights. I ended up carrying the bags when we took my girlfriend’s niece once to Go Ape as I am so petrified!"
This may not be a good start when it comes to viewer voting but heights aside, he adds that it is missing his morning cuppa that is dreading. “I am such a Yorkshire man, not having tea will be difficult to take. I used to be a lot bigger so I am no stranger to cutting down on food but not having a mug of tea is going to be very tricky. I am staying well out of the cooking, too. I don’t want to poison my campmates!”
Moyles has been approached to do the show several times over the years and he says he still doesn’t know why he said yes this time. “Some people say if something scares you, then do it,” he said, adding: "But I am a firm believer you shouldn’t scare yourself. I am a big fan of my own comfort zone, too."
Sue Cleaver
Heading towards her 60th birthday, Coronation Street actress Sue Cleaver is ready to ‘shake things up’. After 22 years playing Eileen in the soap, Sue says she want to dispel the biggest misconception that people have about her. "I think people think I am like my soap character, Eileen, but I am very different", she said.
As she revealed she is taking part in the hit ITV series she added that the pandemic had made her determined to take on some new challenges.
She added: “I am going in with an open mind. Nothing is going to kill us and I am not going to wind myself up, trying to overthink everything. I don’t know how I will behave and I am going to let the experience unfold in front of my eyes.”
Mike Tindall MBE
Perhaps the most surprising contestant this year is former English Rugby Union player Mike Tindall. He will become the first member of the Royal Family to take part in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
Mike is married to Princess Anne’s daughter Zara, and says his friend and former I’m A Celebrity contestant, James Haskell, sang the programme’s praises so much, he decided to finally say yes to an appearance. He said: "It is sinking in now that I am taking part." But claims that he is ready for the challenge adding: “I am ready to rumble! I have been asked on numerous occasions to take part. The timing was right this year and Hask (James) did the show and he had been talking about it.”
So far, Mike hasn’t admitted to having any phobias but says: "In a weird way, I am looking forward to taking part in the trials!"
Owen Warner
Hollyoaks star Owen Warner has already said he has a a phobia of snakes and has still encouraged his friends and family to vote for him to do every single trial.
:I am a bigfan of football so
The keen football fan says "I will miss watching the start of the World Cup", but adds: "One of the biggest pluses to come out of doing I’m A Celebrity is the chance to show viewers what he is really like as a person.
“I am excited for people to get to know me as a person and not a character,” he says. “People are so used to seeing me recite lines that have been written for me, and most of them are not what I would say myself. My character has been written out whilst I take partin the programme. He has gone to Spain for a little bit.”
Scarlette Douglas
"Spiders. There is no point in lying about it! I’ve got an irrational fear about them," admits the former A Place in the Sun presenter Scarlette Douglas.
However, she says that she hopes her accepting a place on the show will prove to people who have doubted her in the past that she can achieve success.
Explaining how many people have told her she wouldn’t succeed in life, she admits if she is crowned the public's favourite, it would be a wonderful way to prove all the doubters wrong. “If I were crowned Queen of the jungle, it would be such a big moment for me."
Charlene White
ITV News presenter and journalist, Charlene White says it’s now time to take on a new huge challenge and doing I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! is exactly that.
Asked about her phobias she said: "I am not sure what my fear factor will be because I’ve never had rodents, spiders and snakes crawling all over me!
The mum of two readily admits, it will be tough not being able to see or speak to her children whilst she is in the camp. “I will definitely get teary,” she says. “It’s a foregone conclusion. I am going to miss our daily routine with the kids, I am going to miss waking up with them and having quiet time before the school run and that’s what is going to get me tearing up. It will be weird. My partner is also mostly shocked I am doing this. We made the decision together but he was like, ‘I have no idea how you are going to cope!’ I am not a ‘need to wear make-up, nails’ kind of girl but I am not very outdoorsy.
Jill Scott MBE
The England Lionesses who helped lift the Women’s Euro trophy in July, may have retired from football but she is still ready for a challenge. Jill Scott says she thinks Newcastle fans Ant and Dec may give her a hard time if football comes up during filming.
“I haven’t met Ant and Dec before - but they are Newcastle fans, and I am Sunderland,” Jill says. “I don’t know if it will go down too well.” Scott describes herself as a hard worker and hopes to help her fellow campmates out if they are struggling.
But she admits the idea of some particular trials are already giving her the jitters. "I don’t like rats and the thought of being underground fills me with fear!
Babatunde Aléshé
Comedian Babatunde Aléshé says he will be doing a lot of screaming in the jungle as he faces up to his fears of "absolutely everything".
He has revealed it took several attempts to persuade him to accept the offer because he is filled with horror at the prospect of rats, snakes and cockroaches being poured over him.
“I am going to see what happens but I know I will be doing a lot of screaming for sure.
"I am not looking forward to any trials but in terms of the one I am dreading the most, I saw one where someone was lying in a box and they put things into the box like snakes and mice. Now that would freak me out. I think I will lose it.”
Olivia Attwood
Former Love Islander and ITV2 presenter Olivia Attwood admits: "I hate the dark so I’m keen to avoid any challenges in the darkness."
However, she adds that most people's biggest misconception about her is one she wants to dispel. "I think people think I won’t be able to cope without make-up but I am happy to muck in."
She is also looking forward to having a ‘digital detox’ break from Instagram while in the jungle. The TV star says she did not hesitate to sign up to the show although admits it it felt "surreal" to be taking part.
Attwood, who appeared in the 2017 season of Love Island, added: “Being part of I’m A Celebrity still hasn’t sunk in yet and when I first got the call to take part, I didn’t really believe it! It felt surreal because taking part in the jungle is the absolute pinnacle," she said. "It’s the crème de la crème of all shows and obviously I didn’t have to think about it. I said yes immediately."
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