Stale I'm a Celebrity is fast losing its reality TV crown

After the flatulence and fanfare of 'Celebrity Traitors', the return of ITV's annual jungle series and its predictable lineup falls seriously flat

- Rachel McGrath

Kiosk Kev is on standby, the hammocks have been dusted off and the sheep's brains are already in the blender.

That's right, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is returning to screens once again - only this year it's arriving off the back of another show that has set the bar much higher. Unfortunately for ITV, the debut episode of I'm a Celeb is airing less than a fortnight after the conclusion of the BBC's newer, fresher juggernaut, The Celebrity Traitors.

Across nine episodes, the Beeb's new kid on the block became the most-watched entertainment show of the year. And it wasn't only a ratings winner. The viral clips (Tom Daley's side-eye), memeable one-liners, and shocking outcome cemented the show's position on any and all "best of 2025" lists. Both the civilian and celebrity versions of The Traitors have proven that even in the days of streaming, there's still a hunger for good, old-fashioned event television. But only if the show concerned is actually worthy of chatter - which, when it comes to I'm a Celeb, is increasingly not the case.

If this season in the jungle is going to come close to the heights reached by TheCelebrity Traitors, the show's producers would do well to take a few notes. One thing that is too late to fix, however, is the lineup. Announced today, it includes an underwhelming and predictable collection of soap actors, nepo babies, and no fewer than four ex-Strictly stars. Thankfully, ITV has stopped casting politicians looking to jumpstart their redemption arc, but quite frankly, that's the bare minimum.