A group of high-profile celebrities, thrust into the unforgiving Australian jungle, already battling hunger, grueling Bushtucker Trials, and creepy crawlies slithering into their sleeping bags. Now, add a ferocious thunderstorm crashing down like nature’s wrath—lightning cracking the sky, thunder roaring like a beast, and relentless rain turning their camp into a soggy nightmare. For the stars of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, this isn’t just reality TV drama; it’s an all-out fight for survival on night one.
The lineup this year includes fiery social media sensation and Twitch streamer AngryGinge, 25; chart-topping rapper Aitch, 25; glamorous model and actress Kelly Brook, 45; Spandau Ballet legend Martin Kemp, 63; and comedy icon Ruby Wax, 72. These brave souls are hunkering down in the Gold Coast jungle, but Mother Nature had other plans. Hours of blinding lightning and deafening thunder have pummeled the camp, which is notoriously vulnerable in wet weather. A stream slicing right through the site threatens to overflow at any moment, turning their makeshift home into a flooded disaster zone.
ITV producers were crossing their fingers for a dry season this year, knowing all too well how storms can shatter camp morale. Contestants often cram into the Bush Telegraph for hours, seeking refuge from the downpours that make every moment miserable. Remember 2023? Britney Spears’ sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, bolted from the show when the endless rain pushed her to the brink. Hot on her heels was food critic Grace Dent, who also jetted home amid plummeting spirits.
Last year, no one quit outright, but the camp endured the heaviest rains in the show’s 22-year history— a deluge that left everyone drenched and defeated. Love Island alum Maura Higgins griped, “I’ve slept in the rain, my bed is just soaking.” Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse echoed the sentiment: “It has been raining again in camp and it’s affecting everyone’s mood.” A camp insider spilled to the Daily Mail: “The jungle camp cannot cope with this level of rain, and the thing is, when it rains like this, it’s not fun for anyone involved. In fact, it’s miserable. It dampens the mood and ultimately ruins the show.”
While forecasts hint at more sunshine ahead, the start couldn’t be soggier for this fresh batch of celebs. And speaking of fears, Kelly Brook has opened up about what terrifies her most—and it’s not the infamous Bushtucker Trials. The 45-year-old, who once vowed never to join until her husband Jeremy Parisi inspired her, confessed on Heart Radio to co-host Jason King that starvation is her ultimate nightmare. “I think the hunger really gets to you. I’m just not myself when I’m hungry,” she admitted. Jason quipped back, laughing: “You’re like that at five-fifty in the evening—and you can’t just Deliveroo in there!”
In camp, food is a rare luxury: basic rations of beans and rice, unless stars are won in trials. Ex-contestant James Haskell called it “starvation,” admitting he could barely drag himself out of bed from sheer exhaustion. But Kelly’s woes don’t stop at an empty stomach—she’s also dreading the massive, “unpredictable” spiders that could leap out at any second. “You don’t know where they’re going to jump around,” she shuddered, before adding one more horror: “And also just not being able to wash.”
Hosted by the dynamic duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the ITV smash hit returns to screens this Sunday, straight from the heart of Australia. With the storm raging on, will these stars tough it out, or will the jungle claim its first casualties? One thing’s for sure—this is no scripted challenge; it’s raw, relentless survival. Stay tuned as the drama unfolds!