Rebekah Elmaloglou has entered the South African jungle to take on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Australia 2026.
She has joined the likes of The Bachelor’s Luke Bateman and The Brady Bunch‘s Barry Williams in the star-studded camp, where she will be put through her paces with stomach-churning trials.
But who is Rebekah, and why is she famous?
Scroll on for everything you need to know about the Home and Away actress.
Who is Rebekah Elmaloglou?
Rebekah, 51, is an Australian actress who first rose to fame as a child, before finding huge success on Home and Away and Neighbours.
She began her acting career at just eight years of age, appearing in a stage production of The Sound of Music.
Rebekah became an established child star, securing a minor role in the 1985 Mel Gibson film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
She then became a household name on the cast of Home and Away, and later joined its rival soap opera, Neighbours.
Rebekah has also appeared in guest roles on TV shows including Water Rats, All Saints and Life Support.
How is Judi Dench related to Rebekah Elmaloglou?
Rebekah has a surprising and little-known A-list connection in the acting world, none other than Dame Judi Dench!
Rebekah is related to the Casino Royale star through her mother’s side of the family.
Judi, 91, is Rebekah’s mother’s cousin, making her a cousin once removed of the Australian actress.
Rebekah has previously met the British actress, but is closer to Judi’s daughter, Finty.
“[Judi is] amazing,” Rebekah previously told The Project.
“I’ve only met her a few times, but I’m very, very close to her daughter Finty, so every time I’m in London, we always catch up.
“It’s wonderful, and my mum is very proud to be Judi’s cousin, we all are.”
When was Rebekah Elmaloglou in Home and Away?
Rebekah joined Home and Away at the age of 15 when she was cast as Sophie Simpson.
She was a regular on the show as the “teenage tearaway” from 1990 until 1993, becoming a household name in Australia.
Rebekah was nominated for a Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent in 1991 and was up for a Silver Logie the following year, but sadly missed out on winning both.
Her character, Sophie, notably became a teenage mother on Home and Away and was involved in a string of dramatic storylines.
However, Rebekah ultimately left the soap opera in 1993 due to the long hours and extensive publicity becoming overwhelming for her.
She took a break from acting after Home and Away, and worked in childcare for many years until she returned to showbiz 10 years later.
“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.”
Rebekah returned to Home and Away for a guest role in 2005, before having many years out of the limelight.
When did Rebekah Elmaloglou join Neighbours?
After taking a near-decade-long break from showbiz, Rebekah decided to restart her acting career.
In 2013, she joined the cast of Neighbours as hotel manager Terese Willis, and was involved in storylines with key characters such as Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Maloney).
Rebekah remained on the show until its cancellation in 2022, and returned the following year when the series was given a second lease of life by Amazon Freevee.
However, she has now officially said goodbye to the role after Neighbours was cancelled again in 2025.
Rebekah shared her sadness over having to leave the show, saying she has “never been bored” portraying Terese.
“I think what I’ll always miss is not being able to step into her shoes, do her voice and her mannerisms,” she told TV Tonight.
“I’m devastated as we all are. We’re such an incredibly close family and we have so much fun.
“But I’m kind of excited for the future and what that will bring.”
Rebekah has shared her desire to leave showbiz altogether, saying she would leave the TV industry if she didn’t need the money.
“If it wasn’t for money, I’d happily retire,” she added.
“I’ve been in the industry now over 43 years. It’s been a long stint, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work.”
