I’m A Celebrity… South Africa: Meet the cast of 2026 series, from Gemma Collins to Mo Farah – UK Times

It might not be winter, but I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is back on our screens with a cast of familiar faces and fan favourites taking on brand new trials and challenges in the South African wilderness.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa first aired in 2023 (when Myleene Klass was the winner), but the all-star spin-off has stayed off air since then, with ITV focusing on the main series in Australia instead.

The show returns to ITV on Monday (6 April), with a core cast of eight former contestants (and some very exciting latecomers) heading to South Africa to compete in the competition once more.

Like series one, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa has already been recorded, as opposed to the Australia show which airs in real-time and features live elements. However, series two comes with a twist, where the final will be filmed live back home in the UK, allowing viewers to vote on their winner.

Here’s who you can expect to see in the wild…

Scarlett Moffatt

She might be one of the few winners among the South Africa contestants, but Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, 35, has admitted that she’s pretty terrified about returning to the show.

“I was a bit overwhelmed,” she said of being asked back. “Out of all the people they could pick, I felt grateful that I was even a thought because so many people have done it.”

And while things might have changed a lot for Moffatt in the decade since she jetted off to the jungle, including the birth of her son, the reality star still looks back on her time in camp with fondness.

“It’s quite good facing your fears,” she says. “You feel invincible and [like] a superhero! It also taught me to be myself. I am so happy and grateful I got that experience when I was in my mid 20s.”

Seann Walsh

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For comedian Seann Walsh, I’m A Celebrity in 2022 was a major step on the way to rebuilding his public image after his Strictly Come Dancing cheating scandal. And while entering camp as a latecomer alongside former Tory health minister Matt Hancock might have been an overwhelming experience in itself, the comic credits the competition for giving him a new lease of life.

“It changed my life in a very positive way. I was able to go back on tour again and sell out rooms again. I am forever grateful,” he says.

Jungle life was also unexpectedly enjoyable; that’s what had him saying “yes” to returning. “I had so much fun the first time around, I didn’t have to think for very long about whether I should do it or not.”

Since appearing on the show, where he placed fifth to Hancock’s third place, Walsh has become a father to two children, and admits that time apart would be his main challenge.

“If my daughter says, ‘I love you daddy,’ I start crying. Being apart from them is going to be difficult whilst I am there,” he said.

Beverley Callard

For most I’m A Celebrity campmates, heading to the jungle means leaving the cold British winters behind for the tropical (if often still wet) summer down under. But for the cast of 2020’s Covid-era series – of which Giovanna Fletcher was the winner – it was a totally different story. Rather than jetting off to Australia, the competitors lived in a castle in Wales.

For long-standing Coronation Street favourite Beverley Callard, taking part in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will provide a first taste of the more traditional jungle experience. “Wales was so different. We didn’t get to experience the Australian jungle and the bedroom was minus one [degree],” she said.

Despite this, Callard had a whale of a time. “I loved it all. The daily tasks, the clothes we wore, not having my phone and not wearing any make-up,” she said.

Since filming in South Africa, Callard has faced a major health shock, having revealed in February that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and swiftly undergoing surgery.

She has since returned to work, and appeared at the I’m A Celebrity… South Africa launch event, so viewers can expect to see her at the live final.

David Haye

It’s been 14 years since boxer David Haye appeared in the jungle, finishing in third place to Charlie Brooks, with his life changing significantly since then.

Haye, 45, underwent spinal surgery in 2015 and retired from boxing for good three years later – and that’s not even considering the rather unconventional, rumoured throuple he found himself in.

And while he was bitten by a bandicoot in camp the first time around, Haye insists that nothing could terrify him about jetting off to South Africa.

“I do feel more prepared this time, because I know what to expect, and the trials in Australia weren’t that physical for me,” he said.

Despite having lost out to Ashley Roberts the first time around (who’s also heading back), Haye admitted that he “hadn’t really thought about [winning] to be honest”. “I had a good time in Australia and I was the last man standing… I got bronze and I was on the podium!” he said.

Sinitta

Pop star Sinitta produced plenty of memorable moments when she competed in the jungle in 2011, but the singer, 62, has admitted that her I’m A Celebrity experience was somewhat lacking.

“I did trial after trial and then I got voted out. I didn’t get to reconcile with living outside and being in camp,” she said. “I thought doing the show would cure me of all my phobias, but it didn’t.”

The “So Macho” pop star hopes that returning to the camp for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will allow her to conquer those fears – after all, she says, “it is quite debilitating being afraid of everything”.

Sinitta is most looking forward to meeting the new campmates at this “crazy retreat”. “Some people pay to do something like this,” she said, adding: “I’m also hoping that it will be a bit like an epiphany where I do find the courage and walk away with the feeling that I can do anything else I want to.”

Sir Mo Farah

Like Callard, legendary British athlete Sir Mo Farah also missed out on the proper jungle experience as he took part in the competition in Wales in 2020.

“It was so much fun doing I’m A Celebrity in Wales but mentally, you always knew you were in the UK,” said the 43-year-old, who was knighted in 2017 and retired in 2023. “It was also very cold. Being in South Africa is going to be different. It’s sunny, warm, and as soon as I got the call inviting me, I knew I wanted to be part of the series.”

And while fifth place was an impressive feat, he has his eye on the “Jungle Legend” title this time around. “I’ve overcome a lot of things throughout my life and I will be going in fully prepared,” he said.

Here’s just hoping that there aren’t any snake tasks involved in the process, because Farah can’t stand them. “Even speaking about snakes makes me feel terrified,” he said.

Ashley Roberts

Since being named Queen of the Jungle in 2012, Roberts has taken many different career paths. She’s reached the Strictly Come Dancing final, become a radio presenter on Heart’s breakfast show, starred in the West End, and is currently in the process of returning to the stage with the recently reunited Pussycat Dolls.

Despite filming taking place in Australia, Roberts, 44, credits I’m A Celebrity with her relocation to the UK. “I’ve lived in the UK ever since I left the jungle 14 years ago and that in itself is amazing,” she says.

Also gave her a much needed confidence boost. “You had to prove yourself doing those challenges and by the end, I felt like I was Jane of the jungle!” she said. “Whatever life was going to throw at me next, I knew I’d be able to handle it.”

Some 14 years later, the chance to take on the trials again has come into her orbit, and Roberts is mostly excited, if a little nervous. “I am not going to lie – I have had some sleepless nights before arriving in South Africa,” she says. “My boyfriend [artist George Rollinson], bless him, has been such a great cheerleader and supporter in the run-up because I have been so nervous. He keeps telling me I am going to smash it, which is lovely. I just want to try my best.”

Adam Thomas

Certainly one of the jungle’s smiliest campmates, Adam Thomas (or “Mr Bushtucker Trial”, as he called himself) relished meeting so many people when he reached the final on I’m A Celebrity in 2016.

“I’d like to think I am a people person and I love meeting new people. I’m genuinely looking forward to meeting some more new people. The jungle gives you the time to switch off,” he said.

The dad-of-two, whose brothers Ryan and Scott are also in the entertainment business, said that he’d be glad to see any of the class of 2016 in there – just as well, as he’ll be facing off against Moffatt, who pipped him to the post the first time around.

Returning to the show, Thomas says that he feels prepared, adding: “But with the jungle, you expect the unexpected! It’s going to be completely different and I will take it for what it is.”

Latecomers

Gemma Collins

One of I’m A Celebrity‘s most iconic – and shortest lived – contestants ever, Gemma Collins made sure that her time in the jungle was one nobody could forget before she withdrew from the jungle three days in back in 2014.

The Only Way Is Essex star, 45, has spoken about wanting to redo her time in the jungle, and was revealed to be entering as a latecomer at the launch event, where she told The Independent and other news outlets that the decision to quit had “haunted her”.

“I spent my whole life with this black cloud hanging over my head, it was the one regret I had,” she said. Still, Collins was “bricking it” to return in South Africa, until she received some tough love from her team.

“My make-up artist slapped me at Heathrow airport because I said, ‘I don’t think I can go through with this,’” she joked. “But I took a deep breath, I went in strong and to be honest I think I shut it down. You’ll see me vulnerable in there, you’ll see me thinking I’m Lara Croft. But I’m delighted I did it, we laughed so much.”

Craig Charles

He formed an unexpected friendship with Collins on the 2014 series, but Red Dwarf star and DJ Craig Charles, 61, also saw his time in the jungle cut short following the death of his brother Dean.

Speaking at the launch, Charles revealed that coming back now in his 60s had proven a very different challenge.

“The last time it was quite cruelly cut short because my brother Dean passed away, so when they came back and asked, I just thought, yeah,” he said. “But as soon as I hit 60, my stamina has fallen off a cliff. I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to do it.”

Harry Redknapp

The 2018 series of I’m A Celebrity is many fans’ favourite, thanks to football manager Harry Redknapp and The Inbetweeners star Emily Atack respectively taking the winner and runner-up spots.

The only male winner to come back for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, Redknapp, 79, was quick to declare that “King Harry is back!” Nice and modest, then!

Jimmy Bullard

Another member of the class of 2014, former footballer Jimmy Bullard flew Down Under with the bookies predicting him as a likely winner. But after he clashed with X Factor star Jake Quickenden (something he later denied to be bullying), Bullard, was the first star to be eliminated from the show.

The 47-year-old only took part in one trial during his initial run on the show. It involved eels, crabs and water pythons, with the sports star saying as he looked back that he’d “never been that scared in all my life”.

“I’m saying it now, but if I was in that scenario again, I’d try and get through it,” he said. Will I’m A Celebrity… South Africa be the place for round two? You’ll have to tune in to find out.