IT’S that time of year again when we all come down with Jungle fever, spending weeks dosing up on all the drama from ITV’s I am a Celeb.

Now that the pics have landed of those famous faces including Coleen Rooney and Maura Higgins, arriving at Brisbane airport in their tracksuits, where do they go before being let loose in the jungle?

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Rumour has it they’re put in a top secret luxury hotel with zero contact with the outside world to keep those pesky paps at bay.

Here our two insiders share the lowdown on the all the juicy pre-camp gossip from behind the leaves..

HOTEL NAMES CHANGED

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This year’s cast includes a star studded line up with Strictly’s Oti Mabuse, Coleen Rooney and Tulisa ContoslavosCredit: ITV
Former X Factor contestant Jake Quickenden who competed on the show in 2014, revealed that hotels were often changed at the last minute to keep the paparazzo off the scent.

The reality star said that the experience left him feeling like he was in the FBI, as he was in ‘stealth mode’ having to keep his presence a secret. In an interview in 2022, Jake, 36 confessed that he was even forced to swap hotels mid way through.

He said: “They want to keep you under wraps and they don’t want the press knowing who you are or getting a photo of you. So it’s all very like stealth mode.’

THE A-LIST TREATMENT

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Coleen Rooney arrives at Brisbane airport to compete in this year’s showCredit: Australia Media
Before roughing it in the Aussie jungle, the celebs are treated like royalty, as they’re put up in a five-star hotel with saunas, spas and wellness treats.

Jake says all the VIP touches left him feeling like an A-list pop star, as he was given his own suite.

He said: “I felt like Justin Bieber. It was great. I could have just lived in the suites for the whole time. You didn’t even need to leave.’

PHONES BANNED

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Former X Factor judge Tulisa in stealth mode as she touches down in OZCredit: Australia Media
But all the pampering and luxury could be mistaken for a gilded cage, as stars have their phones confiscated and zero access to the internet.

This is to stop them from reading any tittle tattle around the show.

“You don’t really have your phone on you because they don’t want you to check who’s going in with you,” one star said.

“You can’t really even look at the internet or write on your Instagram or anything like that.”

Meanwhile former Strictly star AJ Pritchard, who starred on the show in 2022, revealed that while they were permitted to watch movies, the TV’s in the hotel suites were all unplugged.

 

 

Indeed AJ appeared when it was filmed in Wales post pandemic and he admitted that while he wasn’t locked in his room, he wasn’t allowed to wander outside the hotel.

But he had a chaperone who was able to make last minute trips to the shops on his behalf.

THE LAST SUPPER

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Alan Halsall arrives at Brisbane Airport for Im a celebrity tonight.Pic Australia MediaCredit: Australia Media
Before crunching on creepy crawlies and chowing down on kangaroo in the dreaded bushtucker trials, the celebs are allowed to eat whatever they want in the hotel.

As well as a mini bar full of drinks the celebs have access to the best grub cooked by some top chefs.

 

AJ said he stocked up on a good meal before entering the camp, he said: “My final meal was a good steak with chips and loads of vegetables. And then I ate loads of cereal bars before going into the castle, I was stocking up.”

Meanwhile Jake said he made sure to fill up on chocolate and burgers and said his final meal before entering the rainforest was a snickers bar.

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McFly’s Danny Jones looks delighted to be part of this year’s line upCredit: Australia Media

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Former two time Strictly champ Oti Mabuse has left her husband and baby girl to star on the showCredit: Australia Media

I’m A Celebrity 2024

As the hit ITV show enters into its 24th series, a brand new batch of famous faces look set to enter the Aussie jungle once again to face terrifying Bushtucker Trials and living amongst the critters in camp in order to come out on top and be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle. The Sun’s Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars heading Down Under this year…

Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name heading into the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, will be making a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to head into the camp this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.
Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge looks set to be making a triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.
Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he will be hoping to become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities when he gets into camp.
Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. He has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.
GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brand such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.
Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.
Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She origianlly found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom. A jungle insider said: “As well as bringing some of the star appeal of the group with him, he’ll be supplying some serious guy candy for the campmates and viewers at home.”
Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.
Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist will be braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.
Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry will become the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to breast cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”
Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is set for I’m A Celebrity — and is ready to let rip at his old employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, 62, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year.An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.”