Over ten action-packed seasons filmed within the depths of the South African jungle and Aussie bush, 136 celebrities have been faced with all manners of challenging experiences on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
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From gag-worthy bushtucker trials to adrenaline-inducing challenges that put the celebs face to face with everything from animal excrement, creepy crawlies, reptiles, heights, and more, there’s no doubt that I’m A Celeb is Australia’s most outlandish reality series.
The pampered celeb cast members have to face their fears, fend for themselves, and sometimes lose a little bit of dignity as they vie for small creature comforts that are often taken for granted during their time on the show, making for hilarious entertainment for viewers tuning in from the comfort of their couches at home.
But given the celebrities do get paid by Channel 10 to make an appearance and endure all that they do for the sake of entertainment, many fans have been left questioning just how authentic the Logie-award-winning reality series actually is.
Speaking with our sister publication TV Week in 2023, the production crew confirmed that all the gross concoctions and eating items used during challenges were actually as described on-screen.
In fact, since premiering in 2015, 120 animal testicles have been consumed by contestants with a further 4000kg of animal offal – the edible internal parts of animals produced for food – dumped on celebrity heads since 2015.
Speaking of animals, many are used to freak out the celebrities and help them face their fears in the jungle during bushtucker trials.
Already this season we’ve seen mega-influencer Skye Wheatley get bitten by a snake, following in the footsteps of Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins a year prior – how much more real can you get than that?
According to Channel Ten, to ensure the contestants are kept safe during their jungle stay, a dedicated team of wildlife wranglers (also known as “bush boys”) are on duty on the camp perimeter to ensure no animals sneak in and harm the celebs.
These same experts are also on hand during any challenges where an animal is involved to ensure both parties are kept safe and can be separated if there is a serious incident.
Last year, celeb star Woody Whitelaw shed new light on the “terrifying” reality of the jungle after his time on the show came to an end with his radio co-host Will McMahon.
”I was under the impression that the ‘jungle’ would be a fenced-off area, and the animals that came in and out would be controlled.
”But the head of security, Steve, told me that outside of the campsite is actually surrounded by guys in camo. They are effectively standing there and they’re going to let people know if there is a lion or a water buffalo or anything going into the campsite and then they can effectively get the animal to go away.”
Woody then added that he had been told by production staff to let them know straight away if he spotted any snakes around the campsite, as the area was home to several venomous species that would attack if they felt threatened – scary stuff!
But what of the food situation? Do the celebrities really “starve” when they don’t win stars in challenges?
In short, yes, and the British iteration of the series backs this up.
Speaking to UK publication, The Mirror, a medic for the show confirmed that several celebrities had become so malnourished that they experienced fatigue and dizzy spells.
While this does seem rather intense, the celebs aren’t completely neglected and are given a steady substitute diet of “electrolyte drinks and some glucose,” the medic revealed.
“If you could see how much rice and beans they get per person, per day, I think you’d be quite shocked. The little bit of rice is quite tiny and the little bit of beans is quite tiny.”
As for whether or not the camp itself is real, despite being surrounded by security and “bush boys” to ensure contestant safety, the celebrities really are camping outside in the jungle – specifically on a veldt in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Battling the humidity, exposure to the elements, and all manners of creepy crawlies (such as scorpions), our all-star cast really are doing it tough in hopes of donating $100,000 in prize money to their chosen charity – if, of course, Australia deems them worthy of winning.
