I’M a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is returning to Australia for the first time in two years this week.
The Covid pandemic forced ITV to film their flagship reality show in a castle in Wales instead of the usual jungle in 2020 and 2021, making it a very different show to watch.
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! returns to the country’s living rooms on November 6
I’m a Celebrity’s first title screen looked very different to how it does now
But even before I’m a Celeb ditched Down Under for Gwrych Castle, the show had evolved a lot from day one.
From deodorant bans to privacy rows, here’s just some of the ways the show has changed in the last 20 years…
Smelly camp
Vicky Pattison enjoying the jungle shower in series 15 of I’m a Celebrity
While arguments still boil over about chores in the camp, these days our celebs are living a comparative life of luxury.
For series one, there was no jungle shower and even deodorant was banned, with campmates told to just wash in the creek.
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However, they ended up stinking so much that producers relented for the following season.
Executive producer and co-creator Natalka Znak said: “We told them to just wash in the creek. Deodorant was banned. It was all part of the drive to make it completely natural.
“But the drawback was the celebrities absolutely stank. It was awful.
“The camera crew were complaining about it, it was that bad. So we allowed deodorant from series two onwards; more for our benefit than theirs.”
Natalka said they were originally going to ban toilet roll, forcing the campmates to use leaves, and she was even pushing for them to have a single pair of pants that they had to wash every day.
In the first series, smokers were forced to go cold turkey too as producers forgot to cater for them – and it did not do wonders for their mood.
Nowhere to hide
Poor Brian Paddick, pictured alongside Esther Rantzen, isn’t given much privacy
Alfonso Ribeiro donning his modesty smock in series 13 of I’m a Celeb
With no changing room or private area away from the cameras, the celebs of the first series were furious there was nowhere to get changed that would protect their modesty.
After several complaints to producer Richard Cowles in the Bush Telegraph, they were given ‘modesty smocks’, which the show has used ever since.
Richard said: “They demanded more privacy.
“I wasn’t about to build them a dressing room, so I invented what I called a modesty smock. I got the Art Department to design it.
“It’s basically a sheet with a hole to put your head through. Turns out it was exactly what they wanted. We’ve used them ever since.”
Five-second delay
Johnny Rotten let slip an expletive-filled exclamation after being voted off
Before Sex Pistols star John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, joined the third series of the show, the evictions were played out live with no adjustments from people behind the scenes.
Now, it is played with a five-second delay after a foul-mouthed exclamation from the punk star.
After being voted off the show, Rotten said: “You f***ing c***s”, prompting a swift apology from Dec.
Divide and conquer
Chris Eubank, Kieron Dyer and Ferne McCann were on the Yellow Team in series 15
It is now to be expected that the campmates will be split from day one in the jungle, competing against each other for food before being reunited a few days in – but that’s not always been the case.
In series one to five, the celebrities all camped together throughout.
That all changed in 2006 with the first ‘Base Camp V Snake Rock’ pitted stars against each other.
Over the years, the camps have been given a variety of names including Home Camp and Away Camp, Camp Bruce and Camp Sheila, Red Team and Yellow Team, Jungle Celebs and City Celebs – and of course, the iconic Croc Creek.
A different spot
The original camp at King Rach was stripped back to the basics
Not that anyone noticed, but even before pivoting to a British location in 2020, I’m a Celeb had multiple homes.
For its first season, the programme was based at a small camp called King Ranch near Tully in Queensland.
The presenting team and crew were holed up in the Mission Beach Hotel for the duration of the shoot.
Since series two, they have filmed at a permanent camp in Springbrook National Park, New South Wales.
Summer show
I’m a Celebrity is now synonymous with the countdown to Christmas, but it was originally aired in the summer.
Series one started in August and was shunted around the schedules for a bit with series two in April and series three in January.
In 2004, it was decided it should air in November, meaning two series were filmed that year, and it has been at that slot in the calendar ever since.
It was also a much shorter show back then – its first winner, Tony Blackburn, only had to endure 15 days in the jungle compared to those who enter now, who could spend upward of 20 days in there.
Slow days
Sophie Anderton sucking her thumb on I’m A Celebrity’s fourth series
As the years have gone on, more features have been added to the show’s format such as the Dingo Dollar challenges and brain teasers – giving campmates more to do during the day.
Back in series one, the celebrities must have been bored out of their skulls with nothing for them to do all day.
Maybe it’s no surprise Tony Blackburn became obsessed with collecting logs for the fire, something which raised eyebrows among his campmates.
Now, each series has its own quirks, whether it be a big red bus, a telephone box or a battle for immunity from the public vote.
Cooking on gas
The camp gathering round the fire in 2008
Until 2019, campmates had to cook all their food on an open fire.
However, as the Australian jungle was ravaged by bushfires, reportedly within 30km of their camp, the bosses decided not to risk such a disaster on site and had them cook with gas instead.
ITV bosses said: “We are in constant contact with the New South Wales fire brigades and are closely monitoring the situation.
“We currently have no cause for concern. The health and safety of all our production crew and celebrities are of the utmost importance.”
Kiosk Keith got the boot
Kiosk Keith was the dead-pan owner of the Outback Shack, where celebs cash in their Dingo Dollars
The Outback Shack first appeared in 2013, with its shopkeeper Kiosk Keith, real name Raymond Grand.
In 2017, Keith mysteriously disappeared, with Ant and Dec saying he was feeling a bit off colour.
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However, after he never returned and it emerged that he had been sacked after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female member of the I’m a Celeb bus crew.
ITV said in a statement: “Ray is no longer under contract on the show. There are no plans for him to return this year.”
