As another series of I’m A Celebrity launches, some of the show’s secrets have been revealed.
The new series arrived this month and here we round up some of the hit show’s little known facts…
Extra celebrities
Ant and Dec revealed in their autobiography Ooh! What a Lovely Pair: Our Story how the show signs extra celebrities as stand bys.
Ant explained: “Every year on I’m A Celebrity they fly stand-ins out in case any of the cast get ill or realise what they’re getting themselves into and, in series one, Keith Chegwin was that stand-in.”
Some of the set is totally fake
Although the show is set in the real Australian jungle, some parts of the set – such as the rocks – are papier mache.
A source close to the show has shed light on the behind-the-scenes craftsmanship, revealing that some elements of the set are manually constructed. This is done because these features don’t naturally exist in the desired locations.
Each celeb gets a big warning
When casting for the show, potential celebrity campers are given a DVD to review if they’ve never seen it before – although some may not watch it! They’re also given a ‘talk of doom’ by producers, in a bid to avoid quitters.
Busk-Cowley, who penned the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The Inside Story book, said: “Every celebrity who is considering taking part is sent a pack including a DVD so they know precisely what they’re letting themselves in for.
“They’re invited to meetings where executives tell them just how tough it will be – the executives call it – ‘The Talk Of Doom’.”
Trips out of camp
Some of the show’s famous Bushtucker trials happen a drive away from camp. Recent celebrity camper Stanley Johnson said: “We leave camp in the back of a van with blacked-out windows and men in camouflage uniform guarding us.
“When we arrive, they throw towels over our heads.”
The uniforms
Each the celebs must only wear the outfits provided, although they can be customised. The outfits include red socks to avoid bloody insect bites showing up on camera.
The only exception to the uniform is underwear and swimwear, but celebrities are limited to only three bikinis each.
Luxury items
Celebs are allowed to bring in one luxury item each, such as a pillow or even a chair.
But they needn’t worry about cigarettes, which are provided by the team and in “good supply”.
There are NO ‘secret meals’
The celebs do genuinely live on rice and beans unless they can pass their daily trials.
However if celebs start to lose too much energy, they’ll be provided with electrolyte drinks and some glucose by the show’s medical team.
Medic Bob, who has been a regular on the Australian series, said: “If you could see how much rice and beans they get per person, per day, I think you’d be quite shocked. The little bit of rice is quite tiny and the little bit of beans is quite tiny.”
Millions of bugs are bred for the show
I’m A Celeb uses so many creepy crawlies it must breed them in advance for the series. Each a year a total of 2.5 million meal worms and over 250,000 crickets can be expected to be used.
It’s a VERY early start for the hosts
While I’m A Celeb airs in prime time here in the UK, the time difference means the hosts must get up at 2:30AM each morning to prepare for the show.
They typically go live at around 7 or 8AM before filming the day’s trial after the live show.
I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here continues nightly on ITV1 and ITVX.
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