I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! might be four months away – but there are already plenty of names rumoured to be appearing on the next series.
ITV is once again facing renewed pressure to pull together an impressive list of famous faces due to the high calibre of stars the BBC has managed to recruit for The Celebrity Traitors – season two of which will be arriving later this year.
I’m a Celebrity, which started in 2002, is now on its 26th series, and Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will return to host proceedings from the Australian jungle. It’ll be the first series since a second run of the all-stars show aired.
The series made headlines thanks to the biggest showdown in reality TV history after a fallout between Adam Thomas and Jimmy Bullard, which even put Ant and Dec through their paces.
If Ant and Dec are hoping for an easier go of it later this year, ITV might be secretly hoping the show will generate as many headlines – and if speculation is to be believed, the lineup will feature the usual array of TV presenters, soap stars and reality show personalities.
Below is a list of the biggest rumours so far:
Ade Adepitan
Paralympian Ade Adepitan, 53, might make I’m a Celeb history by becoming the first star to enter the jungle in a wheelchair. Apitan is rumoured to be collaborating with bosses to ensure the camp is adapted for accessibility. A source told The Sun they are “really keen to make it work”, adding: "They think his infectious larger-than-life personality would make him a perfect campmate for the new series.” Apitan, who is in a wheelchair after contracting polio as a child, would be the third Paralympian to join the series after Hollie Arnold and Kadeena Cox.
Christopher Dean
Christopher Dean – one-half of Olympic champions Torvill & Dean – might be skating to another ITV series following the cancellation of Dancing on Ice in 2025.
While producers have reportedly been asking him for years, the 67-year-old’s recent retirement puts him in the spotlight as a likely contender, with the skater believed to be “looking for a new challenge”.
Nadiya Bychkova
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova, 36, might be swapping the dancefloor for the jungle, with __ The Sun__ reporting that her axing from the BBC series has freed her up to appear on this year’s series. However, Bychkova herself inadvertently distanced herself from
I’m a Celebby claiming she’ll still be involved with
Strictly, albeit behind the scenes.
Su-Elise Nash
Bringing a flash of Noughties nostalgia to the jungle could be Su-Elise Nash, best known as a member of girl group Mis-Teeq. Nash, 45, will be reuniting with Alesha Dixon and Sabrina Washington for a one-off reunion show in September. But months after, as reported by The Sun, she could be jetting to Australia for I’m a Celebrity, with an insider stating: “The timing couldn’t be better.”
Ben Stokes
There’s not much to the rumour that cricketer Ben Stokes, 35, will be this year’s sportsman on I’m a Celebrity, other than that he retired from the sport in June. He’s now one of the favourites to make an appearance on the reality TV juggernaut.
Perri Kiely
The Diversity star and former KISS radio presenter, 30, has had to turn down multiple offers to appear on I’m a Celebrity – but speaking on podcast Brothers Uncovered earlier this year, he said that he would accept if his schedule permitted. Whether producers will call upon his services again remains to be seen.
Olivia Attwood
The former Love Island star, 35, is going to be on I’m a Celeb rumours lists forevermore after being forced to quit the series after just one day in 2022.
She left the show “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks”, and has since suggested she’d return to the show if her busy schedule permitted. Could this be her year to have a second attempt?