This year’s ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ line-up has been the worst kept secret in TV land, but now it has finally been confirmed - with one surprise late addition.
ITV managed to keep actor John Barrowman a secret until the official announcement late on Monday evening.
The ‘Torchwood’ star will be roughing it with nine other celebs when the ITV show kicks off this Sunday at 9pm.
This year’s celeb campers will spend up to three weeks taking on the harsh surroundings of the Australian jungle, with a whole host of brand new nasty surprises created just for them.
The ten celebrities heading into the Jungle for the new series are:
Actor – John Barrowman MBE
Date of birth: 11 March 1967.
Phobias: Confined spaces, jumping out of planes and I am allergic to shellfish.
Missing any special occasion: My Dad’s birthday and Thanksgiving.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: People will think I am high maintenance but I don’t give a shit about things like what my hair will look like!
Role in the camp: Shoulder to cry on, will stick up for people and will do the trials for everyone.
Miss most: I am actually looking forward to some “me” time!
Dream camper: David Tennant – it would be nice to get the Doctor and Captain Jack together! Or Emma Forbes, who is one of my friends.
Relationship status: Married.
Football manager – Harry Redknapp
Date of birth: 2 March 1947.
Phobias: I am not keen on heights and I won’t walk the plank if they ask me to.
Missing any special occasion: I’ve had to cancel quite a few after-dinner speeches.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: People take you as they want to. You can’t please people all the time. If you look in a mirror every day and think “yeah I am a decent bloke”, that’s all that matters to me.
Role in the camp: I am not sure as I have never watched the programme and so I don’t know what to expect!
Miss most: My wife Sandra and watching sports.
Dream camper: If they were still alive, Sir Bobby Moore, Frank Sinatra and Muhammad Ali – all the greats!
Relationship status: Married.
‘Corrie’ star– Sair Khan
Date of birth: 11 February 1988
Phobias: I am not good with mosquitos as they bite me everywhere; I also don’t like confined spaces.
Missing any special occasion: Work and some friends’ social get-togethers
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: It’s going to be weird going in as me but nice for people to see I am not like my ‘Coronation Street’ character!
Role in the camp: I will do all the chores, I’m very happy to muck in.
Miss most: Food. I eat all the time!
Dream camper: Any of my ‘Corrie’ cast mates, as it will take away that whole hard thing of getting to know someone from scratch.
Relationship status: Has a partner.
TV presenter – Nick Knowles
Date of birth: 21 September 1962.
Phobias: None.
Missing any special occasion: Watching the rugby home internationals! It’s a huge passion of mine.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: The public know I have a broad spectrum of programmes but hopefully after this, the press won’t think of me as the guy who builds houses!
Role in the camp: Help out with the physical side of living in a camp and chat to everyone.
Miss most: My family.
Dream camper: Sir David Attenborough – you would never run out of interesting conversations.
Relationship status: Single.
Singer – Fleur East
Date of birth: 29 October 1987.
Phobias: Creepy crawlies, being up high, in the dark – basically everything you have in the Jungle!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: People see me as a performing artist and it will be nice for them to see me as me.
Role in the camp: Coordinator of the Jungle vibes to bring fun to the camp.
Miss most: My loved ones and my phone. Even just not being able to pick it up and moan is going to be hard!
Dream camper: Michael Dapaah or Mo the Comedian who I follow, basically someone to make us laugh.
Missing any special occasion: My auntie’s birthday.
Relationship status: Has a long-term partner.
Popstar – James McVey
Date of birth: 30th April 1993.
Phobias: Spiders, I am fine about the trials.
Missing any special occasion: Band gigs in South America and the UK.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: We do a lot of TV interviews but it’s going to be nice for people to get to know me a lot more.
Role in the camp: The mediator. I would like to think I will be there for people and I can resolve arguments.
Miss most: My girlfriend, Kirstie, and home comforts.
Dream camper: Sir David Attenborough. It would be so cool to be with him and listen to all his stories.
Relationship status: Has a partner.
‘The Chase’ star - Anne “The Governess” Hegerty
Date of birth: 14 July 1958.
Phobias: Spiders do make me flinch.
Missing any special occasion: No as we have just finished filming ‘The Chase’.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: I will be going in as me. I am different to my Chase persona, The Governess. I will be more nervous than her!
Role in the camp: The well-meaning but incompetent mum!
Miss most: Ice cream, books, peace and quiet and not being able to choose my own company.
Dream camper: Steve Van Zandt is the coolest man in the world; Lin-Manuel Miranda as I love ‘Hamilton’.
Relationship status: Single
‘Hollyoaks’ actor – Malique Thompson-Dwyer
Date of birth: 2 February 1998.
Phobias: Claustrophobic, I’m also dreading eating testicles!
Missing any special occasion: ‘Hollyoaks’ role.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the Jungle: I am looking forward to people seeing me as me rather than a character.
Role in the camp: Entertainer, joker.
Miss most: Family, phone and bed.
Dream camper: My fellow ‘Hollyoaks’ star, Owen Warner, as we would have such a laugh together, or a rapper as I like rapping.
Relationship status: Single.
Comedy actor – Emily Atack
Date of birth: 18 December 1989
Phobias: I don’t have any real phobias but I hate creepy crawlies just like everyone else.
Role in the camp: To have fun and be there for people if they are having a really bad day.
Miss most: Food and my family.
Dream camper: Ricky Gervais to make me laugh and Derren Brown to entertain us.
Missing any special occasion: No
Relationship status: Single.
Actor – Rita Simons
Date of birth: 10th March 1977
Phobias: I am full of phobias.
Role in the camp: I am someone who likes to make people smile.
Miss most: My children and husband.
Dream camper: Samantha Womack. She’s my best friend.
Missing any special occasion: No.
Relationship status: Married.
Another two unknown celebrity campmates will join the show later in the series.
One person who definitely won’t be heading Down Under is Ant McPartlin, who is focusing on his recovery following his arrest for drink driving.
Instead, Holly Willoughby will be stepping in to co-host the ITV show with Declan Donnelly.
Dec has joked about Ant’s absence, as his new ‘I’m A Celebrity’ press photo was unveiled
Sharing the photo on their shared Instagram page, Dec noted: “Ant’s looking well don’t you think!? I’m joking of course, Holly and I are looking forward to welcoming you to Australia next Sunday night.”