MasterChef judge George Calombaris set to enter the jungle on I’m A Celebrity Australia 2026

Former MasterChef judge George Calombaris is entering the jungle as the final intruder.

He will make his debut on Sunday, January 22, with host Julia Morris confirming the news on January 21.

On the show, George is expected to discuss the spate of scandals and money woes that affected his career.

In 2017, George came under scrutiny after it emerged that his company, MAdE Establishment, had underpaid more than 500 employees.

He took “full responsibility”, and $7.8 million in wages were paid back, which led to the bankruptcy of his company.

“The great thing about our intruder is that we now hear his story from his own mouth,” IAC host Julia told TV Tonight of the controversy.

“And I think that is going to be revelatory.”

Matt Zukowski is sure to shake things up on I’m A Celebrity 2026.

He is no stranger to reality TV, having risen to fame on the 2019 series of Love Island Australia.

Matt came as a runner-up on the dating show with his then-partner Cartier Surjan, but they went their separate ways just weeks later.

Now, Matt is arguably best known for his whirlwind romance with podcaster and YouTuber Tammy Hembrow.

The couple first met in 2023 and got engaged just three months after they started dating, with Matt proposing in the Maldives.

They got married in Byron Bay on November 23, 2024, but announced their split just seven months later.

“Did I think this was going to happen? No. Did I want this? No. Obviously, when you marry someone, you do it thinking that it is going to be forever,” Tammy said at the time.

No stranger to the drama of reality TV, Cyrell Paul was famously dubbed “Cyclone Cyrell” for speaking her mind on Married At First Sight.

She rose to fame on the sixth series of the dating show in 2019, where she was matched up with Nic Jovanović.

The news of their split came shortly after the series aired, with Cyrell saying she would be swearing off dating after the show.

“I think I’m at that point where I probably won’t be dating for a while. Not until this s**t quietens down,” she told our sister publication Woman’s Day at the time.

Now, Cyrell is hoping to ditch her famous nickname and show viewers a new side of herself on the reality TV show.

“I’m over being called Cyclone Cyrell, there’s much more to me than just that,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

“If you come for me, expect me to retaliate with full force. And if people don’t like my approach, then maybe just don’t start me. I never instigate things, but I will surely finish them.”

The Brady Bunch star Barry Williams has officially made his jungle debut.

He is best known as Greg Brady on the family sitcom, but he is now taking on a whole new challenge in the jungle.

The 71-year-old starred on The Brady Bunch until 1974, and then went on to find fame on Broadway, starring in more than 85 productions across theatre.

He secured notable roles in shows including West Side Story, The Music Man, Sound of Music, Grease and City of Angels.

He also hosted his self-titled radio show, The Barry Williams Show, and has penned an autobiography, Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg.

Barry continues to star in theatre productions and lives in Missouri with his third wife, Tina Mahina.

He also joined forces with his onscreen brother Christopher Knight (Peter Brady) to host The Real Brady Bros podcast.

He remains close with his The Brady Bunch co-stars and even got some tips from Maureen McCormick about jungle life, after she placed fourth on the show’s first season in 2015. 

“When I told Maureen I was doing it she said ‘good luck!’ I thought, ‘oh no, what have I done?’” Barry told New Idea shortly before entering camp for the pre-recorded season.

“But then she explained she’d had a great experience and encouraged me to jump in.”

Just hours ahead of the premiere episode, Channel 10 confirmed that Rachel Hunter will be entering the South African jungle.

The New Zealand star, 56, is famous for her high-profile marriage to Rod Stewart, as well as her successful modelling career.

Beginning her career at the age of 16, she has modelled for the likes of Sports Illustrated, Playboy and Vogue, and now she’s taking on the jungle!

She was married to rocker Rod from 1990 until 1999, having tied the knot just three months after meeting in an LA nightclub.

They share two children, Renee, 33, and Liam, 31, but separated because they wanted different things, stemming from their 24-year age gap.

“You can’t really expect a 22-year-old girl to react the same way as a man 24 years older than her,” she previously shared.

Read more about Rachel here.

Sports legend Dyson Heppell has also headed off on his jungle adventure.

However, his announcement wasn’t a total surprise, as Brendan Fevola had previously hinted at his casting.

“Dyson Heppell, I heard, is in the jungle,” he said. “[The ex-] Bomber’s captain and I reckon he’ll win. It depends if he’s popular or not… there’s already one footy player that’s ever won (clears throat) … wonder who that was?”

Dyson famously played for and captained the Essendon Bombers, before retiring from the AFL in August 2024.

He served as the club’s captain for five years from 2017-2022, and then retired two years later after a 14-year, 253-game career.

He has remained in the sporting world since and played for Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League last year.

In December 2025, it was also announced that he’d be joining Essendon’s rivals, the Collingwood Magpies, as a coach for the 2026 season.

Find out more about Dyson’s life since retirement here.

Rebekah Elmaloglou has swapped the world of soap operas for the jungle!

The 51-year-old rose to fame as a child star and was cast in Home and Away when she was 15 years old.

She starred as “teenage tearaway” Sophie Simpson from 1990 until 1993, making her a household name in Australia.

However, she ultimately left the show after struggling with the long hours and extensive publicity, and stepped away from TV.

“I’d been in the industry since I was eight, and I felt like I lost the passion for it,” she told our sister publication TV Week.

“You go through phases in your life and especially because I’d started so young, I was at the point where I just wanted to lay low.”

After working in childcare for nearly a decade, Rebekah restarted her acting career in 2013 when she joined the cast of Neighbours.

She starred as Terese Willis until the show’s cancellation in late 2025, and admitted she was devastated to leave the iconic soap.

Rebekah also has a little-known A-list connection, as Judi Dench is her mother’s cousin!

Rebekah has previously met the famed British actress and maintains a close relationship with Judi’s daughter, Finty.

Luke Bateman was the first celebrity to be confirmed for the 2026 series.

The former NRL player played for the Canberra Raiders and lives in Western Queensland, but is arguably better known for his TV fame.

“I’ll be going into the jungle representing my charity, Farm Angels, which is a charity very close to my heart,” he shared in a collaborative video with the network on Instagram.

“They do amazing work in my community, and I’m very excited to see what Robert and Julia have cooked up for me, and I’m sure there’ll be some delectable food items and some fear-instilling trials.

“So I can’t wait. I’ll see you all in the jungle.”

If you think Luke is a familiar face, that’s because he is.

Along with his rugby league career, he was one of the leads on The Bachelor Australia in 2023, alongside Ben Waddell and Wesley Senna Cortes.

Click here for everything you need to know about Luke.

Beloved Australian actor Gary Sweet is also among the 2026 cast.

He has appeared in countless dramas and thrillers, including Wake in Fright, Dangerous Remedy, HBO’s The Pacific, Cops LAC, and Rain Shadow.

Gary also famously starred in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as well as other films such as Deadfish, Spit, Shelly, Paper Champions and Two Heads Creek.

His most recent TV credits include Darby & Joan, Mystery Road, The Clearing, Hungry Ghosts, Bloom, Jack Irish and Wentworth.

He has an unlikely link to IAC as he starred as host Julia Morris’ on-screen spouse on House Husbands for five years.

Gary has also appeared on stage and has been nominated for a string of awards throughout his career.

He was inducted into the Australian Walk of Fame in 2011, won a Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor in 1994, and won Best Actor at the 2009 Melbourne Underground Film Festival for The Tumbler.

Singer Deni Hines is also among the 2026 line-up.

She is well-known for having grown up in front of the spotlight alongside her famous mother, Marcia Hines.

Deni has already appeared on reality TV shows such as Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Apprentice and The Masked Singer Australia.

She has worked as a backing singer for Australian music icons, including INXS and Kylie Minogue.

Deni also joined The Rockmelons band and later pursued a solo music career, releasing her debut album Imagination in 1996.

She is confident about her chances in the jungle, telling New Idea that she has a secret weapon.

“I’ve also done yoga for years, I’m not afraid of heights or confined spaces – I actually want to jump out of a plane – and I’m used to being on the road touring, so I can handle sleeping in strange places,” she shared.

“I think I’m strong enough to become Queen of the Jungle. A 55-year-old woman with dreadlocks needs to win!”

Read our exclusive interview with Deni here.

Radio presenter Concetta Caristo will also be trying her hand at the jungle life.

She is best known for having co-hosted Triple J’s Breakfast show since December 2022.

Concetta has tried her hand at a TV challenge before, appearing on the third season of Taskmaster Australia.

She has interviewed A-list names including Margot Robbie, Zendaya, Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, among many others.

Concetta also hosted the 2025 ARIA Award and led the 2024 New Year’s Eve coverage alongside Charlie Pickering and Zane Lowe.

She has appeared on other shows, including Would I Lie To You?, Talkin’ About Your Gen and Question Everything.

Mia Fevola might have quite the advantage in the jungle, as it’s not her first time on IAC!

She previously visited the jungle to support her father, Brendan Fevola, when he was crowned King of the Jungle in 2016.

Mia is following in her father’s showbiz footsteps and has launched her own career as an Australian fashion entrepreneur and content creator.

It is not her first time on reality TV, as she competed on Dancing With The Stars Australia in 2015.

Mia is the daughter of Brendan’s wife, Alex, from a previous relationship. Her father tragically died from suicide just weeks after she was born.

Mia was around three years old when her mother, Alex, met Brendan in 2003, and he has been her father figure ever since.

Brendan and Alex also share daughters, Leni, 19, and Lulu, 16.

Australian comedian Nath Valvo is also bringing some laughs to the IAC camp!

Nath became a staple name on the Australian comedy scene after winning the Adelaide Fringe Weekly Best Comedy Award in 2016.

He then earned a Best Newcomer Nomination at the Edinburgh Fringe and was praised by chat show host Graham Norton.

Nath has since appeared at comedy festivals all around the world and hosted his own stand-up show, I’m Happy For You.

He frequently appears on Aussie TV shows, and has hosted Just For Laughs Australia, The Project  and  The Cheap Seats.

The funnyman has also featured on House of Games, Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Gen, Spicks and Specks, Question Everything, and The 100.

Nath also co-hosts The Buck Up podcast with Kate Langbroek, and promotes his comedy work on social media.