I’m a Celeb live: First challenges already filmed as Oti Mabuse, Coleen Rooney and others land in Australia

It’s set to be an action-packd launch episode of I’m a Celeb – not least with the return of the show’s notorious skydive…

Ten famous faces are facing their wilderness fears in the hopes of following in the footsteps of presenter and former Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson, who was crowned the show’s latest winner in December 2023.

Barry McGuigan has already had talks with ITV producers to avoid being “cancelled” during his I’m a Celeb stint.

The Irish boxer, 63, admitted he’s concerned he’ll offend one of his fellow campmates by saying sometimes that isn’t “politically correct” while the series is filming in Australia.

“It’s simply impossible to be in a sort of pressurised environment like that for three weeks,’ he toldThe Mirror. “With all the politics that are involved in everyday life, it’s virtually impossible not to be occasionally politically incorrect.”

He added: “It’s just trying to not hurt people’s feelings. I don’t want to do that.”

Half an hour to go before ITV’s flagship survival contest returns to the screens – are you ready?

I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2024will feature the ITV show’s highest-paid star yet.

The reality TV juggernaut has been a fixture on screens since 2002 and, over the years, the amount of money paid to the participating contestants has exponentially increased.

This gap has widened even more in the last four years alone, with Noel Edmonds, the one-time highest-paid star, receiving £600,000 for what ended up being just one week in the jungle in 2019.

Coleen Rooney has a plan to secretly communicate with her sons while she’s in the I’m a Celeb jungle.

The TV personality shares her four children; Kai, 13, Klay, 10, Kit, seven, and Cass, five, with her husband and former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Speaking to The Sun, an insider said Rooney would touch her personalised necklace with her four children’s names on them to let the boys know she’s thinking about them.

“The hardest thing for Coleen will be being away from her sons so she wants them to know they are on her mind,” they said. “It’s the first time she has left them for any period of time.”

I’m a Celeb contestant Tulisa Contostavlos enjoyed a successful music career as part of the hip hop trio N-Dubz, who are known for their hits including “I Need You” and “Ouch”.

After the group’s third platinum album was released in 2010, the singer secured a coveted seat on the judging panel of ITV’s The X Factor alongside Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, and Kelly Rowland. She won her first season with the girl group Little Mix and the public attention on her intensified.

After the talent show series, Contostavlos slowed her showbiz career and retreated from the public eye following a string of scandals, which ended in a court case against her.

The Loose Women and former This Morning presenter has endured a “tough year” but is set to shake that off after securing a key role in the ITV reality series.

Langsford will be in Australia to support her Loose Women co-star, who is entering the jungle, on ITV2 spin-off show I’m a Celebrity: Unpacked alongside hosts Joel Dommett, Kemi Rodgers and last year’s winner Sam Thompson.

This year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here will be off to a thrilling start.

Contestants will have to down a welcome drink of blended bull’s penis and fish eyes with a vomit fruit garnish, before sprinting across a sprawling estate to reach a helicopter.

Each celebrity will then have to complete a separate skydive as they race to reach and pair up with one of their fellow contestants who await them on a beach.

Winners of the first challenge will be titled first leaders of the camp, will be exempt from any chores and allowed to sleep in a lodge with mattresses, duvets and pillows.

They will also be able to make up all the rules for the Im A Celeb camp, a task which has caused tensions between campmates across previous series.