Even a ‘jungle’ full of fan favourites couldn’t save I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Australia.
After former winner Brendan Fevola confirmed he’d been approached for a potential winners season, which he turned down, sources tell New Idea the network and producers were already deep into discussions about how to revive audience excitement around the format.
“Ten was absolutely looking at a nostalgia season,” a source close to production claims. “Former winners, fan favourites and memorable campmates had already started getting phone calls.”
Insiders reveal Network Ten had quietly begun exploring a major nostalgia-fuelled “All-Stars” version of the franchise before the shock decision was made to axe the long-running reality hit from 2027.
But the insiders claimed that the producers quickly realised a winners-only format created its own problem.
“There’s only around a dozen actual winners to choose from and not everybody wants to do it again,” the insider says. “When you’ve had close to 170 celebrities through ‘the jungle’ over the years, that’s a much richer group to mine from.
“Audiences remember the chaos-makers, the unexpected friendships and the celebrities who never quite got their redemption story.”
The source also said they were “aware” that enough time has passed for celebrities to be interested in returning, but it didn’t pan out this time.
Reality television experts say that All-Stars editions are often used by struggling franchises as a way to reignite interest with loyal viewers, particularly when networks fear audiences have emotionally disconnected from newer casts.
“It’s the television equivalent of comfort food,” says the insider.
“People already know these personalities. There’s history there, rivalries there and unfinished business. Networks lean into nostalgia because it’s safer than launching something completely new.”
But despite the behind-the-scenes planning, the future of I’m A Celebrity reportedly came down to the wire.
Sources allege Paramount Australia boss Beverley McGarvey only made the final call at the eleventh hour, with Ten still undecided when early reports first emerged that the series had been axed.
“When those reports leaked, the decision actually hadn’t formally been locked in yet,” the source claims. “There were still conversations happening internally about whether the format could be refreshed.”
Ultimately, however, insiders say the network decided the show had reached the end of its run on Ten, with escalating production costs and talent negotiations becoming increasingly difficult behind the scenes.
Now, attention has shifted to what happens next, with both Seven and Nine believed to be circling the lucrative ITV format.
And while ‘the jungle’ may survive elsewhere, insiders insist viewers shouldn’t expect a carbon copy of the Ten version.
“The reset button will be hit completely,” says the source.
“Seven or Nine would absolutely take the elements that worked, but they won’t want to simply rehash Ten’s era of the show. They’d make it feel like their own franchise from day one.”
Speaking on The Fox’s Fifi, Fex & Nick Show on May 25, Brendan said it was possible that it wouldn’t disappear entirely from our screens.
“It might be onto another station… the ITV people rang so I assume it’s still going ahead,” he said about when he was initially approached.
