The jungle drums are beating, and the adventure is underway! Model and actress Kelly Brook, 45, and Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, 49, have become the first celebrities to touch down in Australia for this year’s highly anticipated edition of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!. The pair made a stylish entrance at Brisbane Airport, kicking off what promises to be a thrilling season of trials, triumphs, and tropical drama on ITV.
Leading the charge was the ever-glamorous Kelly Brook, who turned heads in a stunning £250 yellow and orange dress from Louisa Ballou. “It’s like the Australian sunset,” she proudly declared, channeling the vibrant hues of Down Under. Playing coy about her involvement in the show—as per the strict no-spoilers rule—she cheekily told the Daily Mail, “I’m just here to visit my Auntie Sheila.” When pressed on what she’d miss most from the UK, Kelly confessed, “My dog Teddy and my husband Jeremy.” But she’s buzzing with excitement for the Aussie experience: “I’m looking forward to surfing, seeing my distant cousin I haven’t seen in ages, and of course, the koalas and kangaroos. Sleeping under the stars? Not sure about that—I’m hoping she has a spare room!”
Hot on her heels was soap sensation Lisa Riley, best known for her 11-year stint as the feisty Mandy Dingle on Emmerdale. Sporting a chic ensemble of a nude plunging top, black jumper slung over her shoulders, and comfy leggings, Lisa didn’t hold back on the luggage—wheeling out four suitcases packed to the brim. “There’s a lot of bling,” she revealed with a grin. “I’ve got many options because I’m such a girlie girl.” Referencing a classic Emmerdale storyline, she quipped, “We did ‘Dingle Down Under’ many years ago, so it’s only fair that we do it again!”—a nod to the 1997 film The Dingles Down Under.
Lisa’s family is fully behind her jungle journey: “They’re really rooting for me and happy that I’m here.” And when it comes to the creepy-crawlies that make the show infamous? No sweat for this farm-savvy actress. “I’m fine with them—I’ve worked on a farm for years as Mandy Dingle, so it’s part of the job.” A self-proclaimed people person, she’s eager for the camaraderie: “I’m looking forward to the lovely people and lots of chatter.” After a “terrific” 22-hour flight where she caught some much-needed shut-eye, Lisa’s heading to a secret hideaway for a few phone-free days before the pre-show filming ramps up. Just days earlier, she was spotted at Heathrow in a more casual brown tracksuit—proving even stars have their travel-day vibes.
Kelly, famed for her iconic hourglass figure, first skyrocketed to stardom as a lingerie model and Page Three girl for The Daily Star back in the early 2000s. She’s poised to create her own unforgettable “jungle moment,” much like Myleene Klass’s legendary white bikini scene from 2006—which famously sold for £7,500 after starting at just £40. Sources say Kelly’s suitcase is brimming with swimwear, ready for those waterfall showers. Interestingly, this marks a U-turn for Kelly; in 2018, she swore off the show on her Heart radio program, saying she’d rather “work in her local pub” than munch on eyeballs or sheep testicles. “Even if I had a huge tax bill, I still wouldn’t do it,” she declared then. But a lucrative deal appears to have swayed her, and now she’s joining a star-studded lineup for the show’s return later this month.
The camp is set to buzz with even more talent as other celebs jet in. Expect YouTuber Morgan Burtwistle (aka Angryginge), musician and actor Martin Kemp, 64, comedian Ruby Wax, 72—famous for Girls On Top, Shock, and her writing on Absolutely Fabulous—TV presenter Alex Scott, 41, and Jack Osbourne, 39, who’s entering the fray just four months after the tragic passing of his father, rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. They’ll be joined by comedian Eddie Kadi, rapper Aitch, presenter Vogue Williams, 40, and soap stars Shona McGarty (ex-Whitney Dean from EastEnders, 2008-2024) and, of course, Lisa herself.
With this eclectic mix of personalities—from soap royalty to comedy icons and music mavens—the jungle is about to get wild. Who will conquer the Bushtucker Trials? Who will crack under the pressure? Stay tuned as the survival race heats up Down Under!