An Essex boy, a con-artist, a boy band bassist and a former Olympian... meet this year's I'm A Celebrity contestants

By Georgina Littlejohn


Every series of the jungle-based reality TV show has thrown together a very eclectic bunch of celebrities from the quiet to the crazy, the wacky and colourful.

And this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here line-up is proving no different with a mixture of famous faces headed into the Australian rainforest this coming Sunday.

They range from reality TV star Mark Wright, to former Olympian javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread, to comedian Freddie Starr, the dynamic within the jungle camp will certainly prove interesting.


Jungle bound: TOWIE star Mark Wright and The Real Hustle actress Jessica Jane Clement will be leading the younger stars in the new series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here


Eye candy: Mark Wright and Jessica Jane Clement will undoubtedly be showing off plenty of flesh during their stint in the jungle


Leading the younger stars - and leaving his Home County comforts far behind - is Wright, 24, who jetted off to Australia as soon as the third series of The Only Way Is Essex finished filming last week.

And he said he was really excited about signing up for the show and added: 'It’s a great new challenge for me and I hope people will see me other than just the guy off TOWIE.'

Joining him will be McFly star Dougie Poynter, 23, and the boy band bassist said he jumped at the chance to appear, especially with his band mate Harry Judd dancing up a storm on Strictly Come Dancing at the moment.

'We have got a gap in our diaries at the moment and I thought it would be a lot of fun.'


Hats off to them! McFly bassist Dougie Poynter and former champion jockey Willie Carson will braving the jungle elements and the creepy-crawly


On for young and old: Dougie is looking to be the brooding one on the jungle, while Willie just wants his grandchildren to think he is cool


Also joining the under-30s - and bringing a bit of glamour to proceedings - is former Playboy model and The Real Hustle actress Jessica Jane Clement, 26, who has just got engaged to celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford.

She said: 'I kept having nightmares about spiders as I have a phobia about them, but just before I flew out to Australia, I got really excited. It’s going to be such an amazing experience and I really want to prove to myself I can do it.'

Slightly older but still very much in the younger end of the camp is Coronation Street star Antony Cotton, 36, who plays Sean Tully, revealed he underwent hypnotherapy to help conquer his fears ahead of entering the show.

He said: 'I have a morbid fear of flying, I don't like heights and I am claustrophobic.'


Northern lads: Coronation Street star Antony Cotton will be overcoming his phobias while Liverpudlian comedian Freddie Starr shrugged off his recent heart attack to brave the rainforest camp


Butting heads: Antony Cotton is fiercely protective of his private life, while Freddie Starr admits he wants to raise his profile


Show bosses have also opted for an older profile for the series this year, with four of the contestants in their 60s who hope to give their younger counterparts a run for their money, including former champion jockey Willie Carson.

He celebrates his 69th birthday this week and said he had signed up for the jungle challenge for the thrill of it.

He said: 'I have nothing to sell nor a career to re-resurrect. When I get back from the jungle, I will put my feet up and I shouldn't think I will do anything or try to do anything else.'

He will be joined by comedian Freddie Starr, 68, who had surgery following a heart attack a few months ago but shrugged it off and said: 'It will be fine.'


Tough girls: Former Olympian javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread and Benidorm star Crissy Rock will be camping down among the stars


Different tactics: Fatima says her competitive streak will come out, while Chrissy simply cant' believe her luck at being asked to go in the jungle, and says 'anything else is a bonus!'


But he admitted that his motivation for taking part in the show was simply to return to the spotlight and said: 'I am not going to lie. I am doing this to raise my profile. I want to get my profile up and anyone who says anything different is lying.'

Olympic silver medal-winning javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread, 50, said she was more worried about leaving her 13-year-old son behind.

She said: 'I have never left him for longer than 24 hours and whilst I don’t think I will break down in front of the cameras, I am sure I will put my head under the bed covers at night and there will be a few tears. I will deal with it though. It is not forever.'

Providing some glamour in a more mature form will be former Campari girl Lorraine Chase, 60, who said she was going into the jungle to 'get braver'.


A touch of glamour: Former model Lorraine Chase and American actress Stephanie Powers have also joined the line-up


Glamour: The actresses are ditching their make-up and gowns for jungle khakis


She said: 'I have always wanted to learn how to ride a motorbike and go backpacking, but the treadmill of life has meant that I just haven't organised it myself.'

American actress Stephanie Powers, 69, who is best known for her TV series Hart To Hart alongside Robert Wagner, has suffered some health problems after being treated for lung cancer.

But she said: 'This is a wonderful opportunity to show there is life after cancer - and the benefits of good detection early on.'

And Benidorm star Crissy Rock, 53, said she was looking forward to shedding some pounds, and added: 'I can’t wait to lose weight. I might come out as a size 12. I don’t mind at all. It is the best diet eve.'

The show, hosted once again by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, returns on Sunday on ITV at 10.30pm with the contestants all heading into the Australian jungle to face an array of bugs and challenges over the next three weeks.


They're back! Ant and Dec will be once again presenting the show which is now in its 11th series



source:dailymail