The new batch of celebrities to sign up for a gruelling stay in the South African jungle have been unveiled during Sunday night’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! premiere.
Julia Morris and Robert Irwin returned as hosts, with Julia warning during the intro that this season will be the “toughest yet”.
Before season 12 even began airing, three of the campmates had already been confirmed: Rachel Hunter, Luke Bateman and Dyson Heppell.
Rachel is the “international supermodel” Ten had been dropping clues about for weeks, Dyson was the “AFL A-lister”, and ex-NRL star Luke was the “Rugby Romeo” – a nod to his stint as one of the bachelors on The Bachelor Australia in 2023.
News.com.au understands that unlike in previous seasons, this year’s episodes were prerecorded.
There were the typical awkward scenes as the first contestants gathered in the communal area for their introductions, with the inital trio of Rachel Hunter, Barry Williams and Mia Fevola quickly forced to undergo their first challenge – featuring plenty of creepy crawlies and a rapidly-rising water tank.
Poor Mia was tasked with surviving the cold and terrifying conditions inside the glass case while trying to connect a series of cords underwater… just minutes earlier having flagged her deathly phobia, sparked by a jetskiing accident some years ago.
Oh Mia, you should have known.
Here are all of this year’s contestants:
RACHEL HUNTER
The New Zealand-born supermodel, who has graced the covers of magazines all over the world and was famously married to Sir Rod Stewart for 16 years, was first cab off the rank, entering the jungle as the very first contestant.
By her own admission as she entered the camp… she has no idea why she’d agreed to do it.
“I don’t like spiders, I don’t like snakes,” Rachel admitted.
“There’s a sense of fear there. There’s a sense of unknown. What am I trying to prove? What am I trying to do? I don’t know! But I’m a very curious person.”
BARRY WILLIAMS
Barry Williams, best known as Greg Brady from iconic US family sitcom The Brady Bunch, brought some international TV stardom to proceedings during Sunday night’s premiere.
“I grew up on television with a television family, so I will be brotherly. I’ll certainly be supportive in the jungle,” the American actor, 71, said in his voiceover.
MIA FEVOLA
Fresh from her stint on the 2025 season of Dancing With The Stars, the daughter of former AFL star-turned-radio host, Brendan Fevola, was the third celebrity to be revealed on Sunday night.
The 26-year-old internet personality admitted to Barry and Rachel that she was “shaking” and her heart was “pounding” as she stepped into view, but insisted this was something she’d always “wanted to do”.
It’s a full circle moment: Mia’s famous dad was a former contestant himself, and was even crowned King of the Jungle on the show exactly 10 years ago.
“I can be a bit of a princess, but I want to remove that title and honestly just push myself to my limits,” she explained on the show.
“… I’m very excited to be here and to be giving it a crack on my own.”
In what was always going to be a fairly solid indication of exactly what would soon be heading her way, Mia admitted that she had a phobia of water right from the start.
“Honestly, if I’m in that water tank, I’ll probably pee my pants. I’m so scared of water,” she told her campmates.
Uh oh.
REBEKAH ELMALOGLOU
Aussie actress and “Soap Royalty” Rebekah Elmaloglou, 51, is best known for her 13-year stint as Terese Willis on Neighbours but also previously played Sophie Simpson on rival local soap, Home and Away.
“I’m here to face my fears… I’m getting the sweats thinking about it,” she joked in her voiceover.
“Oh, oh God, I’m having a hot flush, it’s the menopause. Sorry. Oh, that’s another thing that’s going to be a challenge.”
LUKE BATEMAN
Former NRL star Bateman, who played for the Canberra Raiders before retiring in 2019, made his first reality TV appearance on The Bachelors in 2023.
He went on to become something of a TikTok sensation after blowing up in the popular BookTok category.
Ten teased him as the “Rugby Romeo”, hinting that he could find love on the show or have it wind up as a “Shakespearean tragedy’.
“A Rugby Romeo will be trading scrums for chum as he gets his kicks from tucker trials,” the network hinted ahead of the premiere.
“When people first see me, they probably see, like, my size and stature and then think, like, ‘Oh, this bloke’s a big dumb boofhead’,” Luke explained as he appeared on-screen.
“That’s probably going to be their first reaction, and then hopefully I can change that. What might annoy people is just how often I ask personal questions… I’m a very curious person.”
NATH VALVO
“Everything scares me. I’m scared of the sun. I’m scared of the outdoors. I’m scared of most animals. I’m scared of heights. I’m scared of small talk. I’m scared of boring people. So, look, won’t lie, not sure about doing this.”
… Welcome to the jungle, Nath Valvo!
The stand-up comedian left viewers with no confusion about exactly why he had actually agreed to sign up, declaring bluntly: “People keep asking me why I’m going to the jungle, and to be very serious just for one moment, it’s because I’m poor. Stand-up comedy does not pay well.”
Nath’s inclusion answers the question of who the “Stand-Up Star” was, but whether he has the “jungle in stitches” fans will have to watch to find out.
DENI HINES
Aussie singer (“90s Pop Star”, as Ten had teased) Deni Hines – daughter of Australian Idol’s Marcia Hines – also officially entered the jungle. Any campmates hoping for an impromptu performance of her smash hit track That Word (L-o-v-e) in the coming days will be sorely disappointed: Deni made it clear from the outset that she “hates” the iconic track.
“I do. I hate that song,” she told campmates. That’s that then.
“I am Deni Hines, and I am a singer. And you should know me as that, because I’ve never done anything else but sing. And now I am in the jungle, so watch out,” she said as she entered the show.
“I’m just a fiery person. I’m a strong gen Xer. I know what I want. I’m 55. But you know what? Every challenge you give me, you ain’t gonna see me go, ‘oh, I want to do it. I don’t wanna…’ I’m doing it. Let’s get this going.”
DYSON HEPPELL
Dyson was the second campmate to be confirmed in the lead-up to the premiere, having been teased as the “AFL A-lister”.
“An AFL star is going to have a ball when we boot him into the jungle,” Robert Irwin joked ahead of the premiere. Dyson was one of the names being guessed by fans – along with Mason Cox, Shaun Hampson and Lance “Buddy” Franklin after a distorted voice message was released as a clue.
GARY SWEET
Another well-known Aussie has entered the [I’m A Celeb] chat: “Logie-winning actor” Gary Sweet.
The 68-year-old has appeared in multiple TV shows including Police Rescue, Cody, Big Sky, Bodyline, Stingers – and as Julia Morris’ on-screen husband in House Husbands.
The latter gig led to a very funny reunion exchange between the former co-stars during Sunday’s premiere, with Julia announcing that they had once been “married for five years”.
Cue dramatic pause before she added: “… Televisually.”
“We got to kiss on the lips… it was a joy,” Julia joked, before telling him: “And you were the only husband that I really loved.”
CONCETTA CARISTO
Triple J Breakfast co-host and comedian Concetta Caristo was the final celeb reveal for Sunday night’s premiere, taking on the title of the “Radio Queen” set to bring some “razzle dazzle”.
The 31-year-old has also appeared on Aussie TV screens, including during the third season of Taskmaster Australia.
Based on her introduction, it’s clear Concetta is in for a rough ride in the jungle.
“I am afraid of pretty much everything. I’m scared of spiders. Even really tiny ones. I’m scared of cockroaches. I’m scared of heights. I’m scared of closed spaces. I’ve been scared of the dark when I was a kid. Maybe I’m still scared of it now.”
Good luck!
So who’s left from Ten’s list of clues? Look out for a “Masterchef”, “a Reality TV Bad Boy” or a “Bridezilla” during Monday night’s episode.
I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! airs weeknights at 7.30pm on Channel 10
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