I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! (article)

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 November 2025

Let’s get ready to jungle! Every November, those famous jungle drums can be heard, signalling the return of one of the biggest TV shows of the year. I’m a Celebrity is the king (or queen, it could be a queen) of the survival reality format, having been a mainstay of ITV since its 2002 inception. But why is it so popular?

TV presenting royalty and national treasures Ant & Dec present live from the Australian jungle every morning (evening to the viewing public back in the UK) as a cast of celebrities spend three weeks down in camp, competing in gruelling trials and challenges to win food for the group.

Now, Ant & Dec alone are reason enough to watch. The Geordie duo aren’t short of cheap gags and daring jibes as they deliver daily highlights of the past 24 hours. Their impressive adaptability to try their hand at various skills and demonstrate admirable talent is commendable and, while they don’t have to do anything too taxing on this show in comparison to the brilliantly chaotic Saturday Night Takeaway, the likeable nature and true friendship of the cheeky chappies makes for upbeat viewing that brings smiles to faces.

The first episode of a new season generally takes place along the stunning Gold Coast, where the celebrities will have to make dramatic and treacherous entries into camp. This has been known to include walking along a balance beam suspended over the edge of a skyscraper rooftop, sky diving onto the beach and, albeit less thrilling, canoeing across a lake. 10 celebrities enter camp initially, with usually two late arrivals joining a few days later. In prior seasons, the campmates have been split into two camps for the first few days, with the more successful half living in the main camp known as Croc Creek and the less successful half down to true basics out in Snake Rock.

The centrepiece of the series is the Bushtucker Trials. During each episode, the public vote for which campmate they want to do the next trial and it is then up to the celebrity with the most votes to take part to earn meals for camp. The trials typically involve some form of physical challenge while being accompanied by jungle creatures. These include mealworms, cockroaches, crickets, green ants, rats, toads, crabs, yabbies, eels, crocodiles, lizards, spiders and snakes. It is also not uncommon to see them encounter fish guts, offal and slime too. Some of the most severe trials include laying in a chamber of snakes or placing their head in a dome full of creepy crawlies. The celebrity makes their way across the bridge to the trial clearing, where some trials take place underground, some take place in water and some take place suspended in the air. Another form of bushtucker trial is the dreaded eating trial. This typically sees two celebrities have to consume sickening grub, such as insects, vomitfruit, fermented egg, fish eyes and various animal genitalia! And to paraphrase the presenters’ caution, as always, they don’t have to do it, though they will go back to camp empty-handed, and they can stop the trial at any time by saying the titular phrase.

Later on for most days, two celebrities are selected to take part in a Deals on Wheels challenge (previously Dingo Dollar Challenge). This is a more fun yet tedious and time-consuming activity in which the celebrities can win dingo dollars which can then be exchanged for a small treat by visiting the hard-faced, unflinching Kiosk Kev. However, despite completing the challenge, the rest of the celebrities back at camp have to correctly answer a multiple-choice question asked by Kev over a call to the telephone box in order for the prize to be won. Even then, the treat is in limited quantity, but the slight taste of salt or sugar means it is well savoured and enjoyed still. There have also been times when the celebs have taken part in secret missions to win treats for camp.

As for the other celebrities who aren’t out on trials and challenges, they spend most of their day in the camp. Roles are dished out by the camp leader and their deputy and include camp chefs, dish washers, water collectors, firewood collectors and dunny duty. The camp includes a treehouse for the leader and deputy to sleep in, with basic beds and hammocks for the rest. Around the campfire is a leader’s chair and wooden logs for the others to sit on. There is a cold waterfall shower to wash under and an equally cold pool to swim in. A hot bath is available, though this is powered by a bicycle that must be pedalled by another celebrity. The camp has previously included a jail for punishment, which does happen as the celebs are known to smuggle in contraband such as seasoning for the food. You can’t blame them though as, outside of their dinner, they are rationed on rice and beans. Interesting conversations often occur and, while there’s plenty of laughter and silliness, there’s also a few tears, especially when they receive their letters from home. The campmates mostly get along and support each other, though the show isn’t shy to the odd bit of conflict, usually over chores or a clash of opinion!

In the third and final week, the public stop voting for who they want to do the trial and instead vote for who they want to keep in camp, as the celebrity with the least votes departs the show each day, getting interviewed by Ant & Dec before heading across the red carpeted bridge to be reunited with their loved ones. During this week, the remaining celebrities can win a fun night of karaoke, snacks and drinks at the Jungle Arms. In the penultimate episode, the final four, dressed in scantily-clad spandex clothing and coloured-co-ordinated capes, take part in Celebrity Cyclone, an epic slip ’n’ slide-style trial that features no nasty critters, just high-powered jets, foam, balls and wind. Another celebrity then departs to create the finalists, who each engage in one last tough trial to win a final meal of their choice. A vote then decides third place before one final public vote crowns the King or Queen of the Jungle!