I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here returns on Sunday night for its 24th series and whilst it is one of British TV’s most enduring reality series, there’s plenty of hidden secrets even the most die-hard jungle fans won’t know.
This year sees the likes of Coleen Rooney, Tulisa and Danny Jones competing for the jungle crown, following in the muddy footsteps of 266 former campmates.
And whilst they contend with critters galore and terrifying stunts in the infamous Bushtucker Trials, there are plenty more dangers and disgusting details in camp which they might not be quite so prepared for.
breaks down the behind-the-scenes secrets of life in the celebrity camp…
Why do the campmates wear red socks?
I’m A Celeb returns on Sunday and whilst it is one of British TV’s most enduring reality series, there’s plenty of hidden secrets even the most die-hard jungle fans won’t know (GK Barry pictured for the 2024 series)
The jungle uniform has remained largely unchanged over the past two decades, with campmates issued with the famous red and navy t-shirts and khaki separates.
Whilst most viewers would assume the red socks are simply to match the colour scheme, there’s a very good reason why that particular shade was chosen.
Former show medic Bob McCarron has spilled all to Woman’s Own, explaining that the cast are highly likely to tread on and be bitten by creepy crawlies, including leeches, which can leave traces of blood on the celebs’ skin and clothes.
The red socks are to hide blood splatters from the blood sucking critters.
Going commando
On the subject of uniform, the kit list permitted in camp is minimal.
Each campmate brings in three sets of underwear and three sets of swimwear – everything else is provided.
The show’s co-creator Natalka Znak was ruthless when first setting out plans for the series and wanted the pampered stars to only bring one pair of underwear in, the ones they turned up wearing.
‘They’d have to wash them every day or go commando,’ she explained to the Radio Times.
‘In the end, after months of discussion, we settled on three pairs each. I still think one pair would have been plenty.’
Each campmate brings in three sets of underwear and three sets of swimwear – everything else is provided (Tulisa pictured for the 2024 series)
A jungle aroma
Biogradable shampoo and soap are provided by the camp and placed in the communal jungle shower.
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Tulisa and Coleen Rooney make dramatic I'm A Celeb entrance
In series one producers went one step further when it came to the authenticity of camp life and banned deodorant.
But the camera crew complained so much about the body odour issue that it was allowed from series two onwards.
Another bright idea producers dreamed up in the early planning stages of the show was to ban toilet roll, which would have meant the celebs had to use leaves.
Luckily for the stars, this didn’t get the go-ahead.
Show hosts Ant and Dec wear covers over their watches when they enter the camp every day so the celebs can’t get any cheeky glimpses
Times flies
There are no clocks in camp. And there’s a good reason as it means the celebs are completely detached from the real world and immersed in life in camp.
Show hosts Ant and Dec even wear covers over their watches when they enter the camp every day so the celebs can’t get any cheeky glimpses.
No smoke without fire
In the first series smoking campmates were forgotten about. ‘We tried to think about absolutely everything when we were creating that first series, but inevitably a couple of details slipped through the net,’ explains former executive producer Alexander Gardiner.
‘The biggest one by far was cigarettes. We hadn’t given smokers any thought at all. Our failure to provide fags goes some way to explaining just how bad-tempered the cast were’.
Since then celebrities have been allowed to smoke but they have a specific area to go to which is off-camera and does not feature in the nightly edit.
Celebrities have been allowed to smoke since series two but they have a specific area to go to which is off-camera and does not feature in the nightly edit (Kerry Katona on series three)
Welcome to the jungle
There’s been endless speculation over the years as to the authenticity of the location for the show.
The I’m A Celebrity jungle camp is near Springbrook National Park, near Murwillumbah, New South Wales, on the border of Queensland.
The park is in fact a 15,310-acre rainforest, situated on the extensive McPherson Range, which forms the border between the two states.
But there is some TV fakery at play around camp. For instance the waterfall where the campmates shower is actually a man-made water feature that is turned on and off by production.
Most of the rocks dotted around camp are also false and made of papier-mache. They are hollow inside to allow cameramen to hide inside them.
One of the camp chores is also faked. When the celebs are tasked by the camp leader to collect wood for the campfire, they have it easy as the wood has been dried and chopped up in advance, then strewn over a wide area by crew. No axes required.
The I’m A Celebrity jungle camp is near Springbrook National Park, near Murwillumbah, New South Wales, on the border of Queensland
It has been decided over the year that it would be unsafe to leave the celebrities in a rainy jungle without any shelter at all, not to mention make for bad TV
Don’t rain on their parade
The rain that the celebrities often complain about is less of a problem than it would appear.
There’s actually a retractable canopy 50 ft in the air above the camp, preventing the stars from getting soaked and keeping the campfire lit.
It has been decided over the year that it would be unsafe to leave the celebrities in a rainy jungle without any shelter at all, not to mention make for bad TV.
It is however, not completely weather-proof nor does it cover the whole of camp, while it is said to leak if the rain is too heavy.
A source insisted to The Daily Mail: ‘A lot of the camp is not under shelter — it’s not like the roof at Wimbledon!’
Biogradable shampoo and soap are both provided by the camp and placed in the communal jungle shower (Myleene Klass pictured on the show in 2006)
Critters and crawlies
The critters around the jungle are very real, but they are actually bred by an animal specialist in a bug factory and bought by the show.
Around 250,000 cockroaches, 153,000 crickets, 500,000 meal worms, 400 spiders, 500 rats, and 30 snakes are used for each series.
This has caused some trouble for producers over the years, with there being a shortage of cockroaches in in 2012 because of weather conditions.
The following year witchetty grubs were not bred successfully, and it is said that one year producers paid locals $5 for every spider they could find in desperation.
The critters around the jungle are very real, but they are actually bred by an animal specialist in a bug factory and bought by the show (Harry Redknapp pictured in 2018)
Time to dive in
Medic Bob is the ideal person to give advice to campmates, having worked on the show for 20 years.
And the most important words of wisdom Bob has for Coleen, Tulisa and co is to make full use of the jungle shower.
Speaking on the spin-off series Extra Camp, he explained: ‘Most people think of fungus as mushrooms but we have problems with the cast every year – especially women growing fungus on certain body parts [breasts].’
‘I’ve been instructing them to use the shower and personal hygiene a little bit more often.’
I’M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP
OTI MABUSE
Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt
AGE: 34
OCCUPATION: Professional dancer
FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020.
DANNY JONES
Danny Jones is one of the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s I’m A Celeb
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: McFly singer
FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly.
He is also a coach on The Voice UK.
BARRY MCGUIGAN
Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer
FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986.
GK BARRY
GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: TikTok star
FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel.
DEAN MCCULLOUGH
ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ
FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I’m A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views.
Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.
JANE MOORE
Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women
AGE: 62
OCCUPATION: Journalist
FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.
She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.
Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow.
MELVIN ODOOM
Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021
AGE: 44
OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter
FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.
He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.
COLEEN ROONEY
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: WAG
FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history, exceeding Nigel Farage’s £1.5million from last year.
ALAN HALSALL
Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I’m A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.
Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap.
TULISA
Tulisa is making her career comeback after reuniting with N-Dubz last year
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge
FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007.
In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss.
She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year.