A prank pulled by a contestant on I'm A Celebrity... South Africa nearly caused two contestants to quit the show before it even began. Gemma Collins nearly quit the series early after falling for a practical joke by former football manager Harry Redknapp, and Sinitta also reacted strongly to the prank.
Harry Redknapp pranked the contestants by reading out a fake trial called something like the House of Hell or Prison of Hell. He told his fellow campmates that the challenge would involve rats and being tied up among other things. Gemma Collins famously appeared on the series in 2014, only lasting three days in the Australian jungle, which adds context to her reaction to the prank.
The ITV reality series returns to screens on Monday with a new all-star cast including Gemma Collins, Sinitta, Olympian Sir Mo Farah, former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt and Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts. The new series also stars comedian Seann Walsh, Red Dwarf's Craig Charles, ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard, Coronation Street star Beverley Callard and actor Adam Thomas. The series is pre-recorded, differing from the usual live format of the main show.
Former boxer David Haye did not have high hopes for Gemma Collins going into the upcoming series. However, he praised Gemma Collins for taking part in some 'real heavy challenges' and said she doesn't have an ounce of quit in her, indicating a change in his expectations based on her performance.
The second series will give the public the power to cast their vote for the winner in a live grand final broadcast direct from London, which will crown the 'ultimate legend 2026'. This voting format allows viewers to directly influence the outcome of the competition.
I'm A Celebrity... South Africa starts on April 6 at 9pm on ITV1 and airs every weeknight. Gemma Collins exclusively told Metro a major spoiler ahead of the new series, though details of the spoiler are not disclosed here. Unknowns include the specific nature of the spoiler and the exact challenges contestants will face in the series.