What Is I'm A Celebrity? The Complete Beginner's Guide To ITV's Jungle Reality Show

For more than two decades, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has been one of the biggest and most recognisable shows on British television.

Every year, a group of celebrities leave behind luxury lifestyles, family comforts and everyday routines to live together in challenging conditions while millions of viewers watch from home. Along the way they face hunger, challenges, public votes and some of the most talked-about television moments of the year.

Since launching in 2002, the programme has become a major part of the UK television calendar. It has introduced audiences to a different side of famous faces, created countless memorable moments and helped launch or revive careers.

Whether you have never watched the programme before or simply want to understand why it remains such a huge success, this guide explains everything you need to know about I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.

From New Reality Show To Television Institution

When I'm A Celebrity first launched on ITV in August 2002, reality television was still relatively new compared with today.

The programme offered something different. Instead of placing ordinary members of the public in a house, ITV sent celebrities into the Australian jungle and stripped away many of the comforts they were used to.

The idea immediately captured viewers' attention. Broadcaster Tony Blackburn became the first ever King of the Jungle, and the programme quickly established itself as one of ITV's biggest entertainment successes.

What began as an experimental reality format soon became a national event. Every autumn, millions of viewers tune in to see which celebrities have signed up and how they cope when faced with uncomfortable living conditions, public votes and increasingly difficult challenges.

More than twenty years later, the programme remains one of the most successful reality formats ever produced in the UK.

How I'm A Celebrity Actually Works

The format appears simple, but its success comes from the way several different elements combine together.

At the beginning of each series, a group of celebrities enter camp. Contestants can come from many different backgrounds, including television, sport, music, politics, social media and broadcasting.

Once inside camp, they live together with limited food supplies and very few luxuries. Celebrities are expected to help with camp chores, collect firewood, prepare meals and work together to maintain camp life. Unlike many modern reality shows, there are no phones, social media accounts or outside distractions.

As the days pass, viewers begin to learn more about each celebrity through conversations around camp, personal stories and their reactions to daily challenges.

Public voting plays a major role throughout the series. Depending on the stage of the competition, viewers may vote for contestants to take part in trials, save them from elimination or ultimately crown them King or Queen of the Jungle.

Gradually, celebrities leave camp until only a small number remain for the final public vote. The winner receives no financial prize. Instead, they earn the title and the support of the viewing public.

The Bushtucker Trials That Made The Show Famous

No element of I'm A Celebrity is more closely associated with the programme than the Bushtucker Trials.

These challenges are designed to test contestants physically, mentally and emotionally while allowing them to win stars for camp meals.

The trials have become famous for placing celebrities in situations they would never normally experience. Some involve heights, water, darkness or confined spaces. Others require contestants to search through enclosed areas while surrounded by insects, reptiles and other creatures.

Food trials have become particularly iconic. Contestants are often challenged to eat unusual dishes in exchange for stars. These moments regularly generate headlines and become some of the most talked-about scenes of every series.

While the trials can be difficult, they often reveal a contestant's determination and resilience. Many celebrities who struggle early in the competition go on to win viewers' respect by overcoming fears and completing challenges they never believed they could face.

The trials have become such a central part of the programme that many viewers consider them the defining feature of the entire series.

Why Australia Is So Important To The Show

Although I'm A Celebrity has featured famous personalities and memorable trials, the Australian setting has always been one of its biggest stars.

Most series have been filmed in New South Wales, Australia, where the jungle environment creates the perfect backdrop for the competition. The heat, wildlife, insects and sense of isolation all contribute to the atmosphere that makes the programme unique.

Australia provides challenges that simply could not be recreated elsewhere with the same authenticity. For many viewers, the jungle setting has become one of the programme's defining characteristics.

The programme temporarily relocated during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the 2020 and 2021 series filmed at Gwrych Castle in North Wales.

The Welsh series were well received and demonstrated the strength of the format, but many fans were delighted when the programme returned to Australia once international travel restrictions were lifted.

Today, the Australian jungle remains central to the identity of I'm A Celebrity.

Ant And Dec: The Faces Of The Jungle

It is almost impossible to discuss I'm A Celebrity without mentioning Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

Known to millions simply as Ant and Dec, the presenting duo have fronted the programme since the very first series in 2002.

Their chemistry, humour and ability to connect with both contestants and viewers have helped make the show what it is today. Over the years they have become as important to the format as the celebrities themselves.

Their commentary during trials often provides some of the funniest moments of each series, while their experience allows them to balance comedy with genuine emotional moments when required.

Few presenting partnerships in British television history have enjoyed the longevity and popularity of Ant and Dec. Their continued involvement gives the programme a sense of familiarity and consistency, even as celebrity line-ups change each year.

For many viewers, I'm A Celebrity simply would not feel the same without them.

Selected Winners Who Helped Define The Show

This section highlights a selection of memorable champions rather than the complete list of winners. SoaplandTV's separate guide to every King and Queen of the Jungle covers each series in full.

The programme's first King of the Jungle was Tony Blackburn in 2002. His victory helped establish the format during its earliest days and showed that the concept could connect with a large television audience.

Kerry Katona became one of the show's most talked-about early champions when she won in 2004. Her time in camp significantly raised her public profile and remains closely associated with the programme's first few years.

Warmth, humour and a natural connection with viewers helped Stacey Solomon secure the crown in 2010. Her success in the jungle also helped launch a highly successful television career.

Harry Redknapp's stories, humour and affectionate references to his wife Sandra made him a favourite throughout the 2018 series. His victory remains one of the most warmly remembered in the show's history.

Fresh from helping the Lionesses win UEFA Women's Euro 2022, Jill Scott entered camp and showed viewers a different side of herself. Her kindness, humour and willingness to embrace the experience carried her to victory.

Sam Thompson brought relentless enthusiasm to the 2023 series. His positivity, excitement and openness made him one of the most energetic winners the programme has produced.

In 2024, McFly singer Danny Jones won after viewers responded to his humour, honesty and close friendships in camp. His victory added another major television success to his career.

Angry Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle, was crowned King of the Jungle in 2025. His win demonstrated how personalities who first built their audiences online can also connect successfully with mainstream television viewers.

Why Viewers Still Love I'm A Celebrity More Than Twenty Years Later

Television has changed dramatically since I'm A Celebrity first aired.

Streaming services, social media and changing viewing habits have transformed the entertainment landscape. Yet the programme continues to attract large audiences year after year.

Part of its appeal comes from its simplicity. Viewers enjoy seeing famous people removed from their usual environments and placed in situations where they must rely on one another.

The programme also allows audiences to discover sides of celebrities they may never have seen before. Contestants often arrive with public reputations already attached to them, but life in camp frequently changes perceptions.

Some celebrities reveal surprising humour. Others demonstrate resilience, kindness or leadership qualities that viewers never expected. Friendships formed in camp often become one of the highlights of each series.

The combination of humour, emotion, competition and genuine human connection continues to resonate with audiences, helping explain why the programme remains one of ITV's biggest annual successes.

What To Expect From Future Series

The basic formula of I'm A Celebrity has remained remarkably consistent because it works.

Future series are expected to continue featuring celebrity campmates, Bushtucker Trials, public voting and the search for the next King or Queen of the Jungle.

Viewers can also expect Ant and Dec to remain at the centre of proceedings, guiding audiences through every challenge and elimination.

While each year's celebrity line-up brings a fresh dynamic, the programme's core appeal remains unchanged.

Celebrities enter camp as public figures. They leave having shared a unique experience with millions of viewers.

That journey remains the heart of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.Who won the first series of I'm A Celebrity?

Tony Blackburn won the inaugural series in 2002.

2.Where is I'm A Celebrity filmed?

Most series are filmed in New South Wales, Australia.

3.Who presents I'm A Celebrity?

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have presented the programme since its launch.

4.How long does a series last?

The exact length varies, but recent main series have typically run for just over three weeks.

5.What do contestants win?

The winner receives the title of King or Queen of the Jungle rather than a cash prize.

6.Can viewers vote?

Yes. Public voting plays a major role throughout the competition.

7.Is I'm A Celebrity filmed live?

The programme combines pre-recorded camp footage with live elements, particularly during eliminations and major events.

8.Why are Bushtucker Trials important?

Bushtucker Trials allow celebrities to win stars, which are exchanged for food and rewards for camp.

Where To Watch I'm A Celebrity

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! airs on ITV and can be streamed through ITVX.

Image Credits - All I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! images remain copyright of ITV, ITV Studios and associated rights holders. Images are used for editorial and reporting purposes only.

Sources - ITV, ITVX, official programme information, broadcaster archives and publicly available records relating to I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.