![\"IndependentCulture\"](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/indyArts1_1.png\")
<\/div>\nGet the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email<\/h3>\nGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter <\/h3>\nGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nK<\/span>iosk Kev is on standby, the hammocks have been dusted off and the sheep\u2019s brains are already in the blender. That\u2019s right, I\u2019m a Celebrity\u2026 Get Me Out Of Here! is returning to screens once again<\/a> \u2013 only this year it\u2019s arriving off the back of another show that has set the bar much higher. Unfortunately for ITV, the debut episode of I\u2019m a Celeb is airing less than a fortnight after the conclusion of the BBC\u2019s newer, fresher juggernaut,The Celebrity Traitors<\/a>.<\/p>\nAcross nine episodes, the Beeb\u2019s new kid on the block became the most-watched entertainment show of the year<\/a>. And it wasn\u2019t only a ratings winner. The viral clips (Tom Daley\u2019s side-eye), memeable one-liners, and shocking<\/a> outcome cemented the show\u2019s position on any and all \u201cbest of 2025\u201d lists. Both the civilian and celebrity versions of The Traitors have proven that even in the days of streaming, there\u2019s still a hunger for good, old-fashioned event television. But only if the show concerned is actually worthy of chatter \u2013 which, when it comes to I\u2019m a Celeb, is increasingly not the case. <\/p>\nIf this season in the jungle is going to come close to the heights reached by TheCelebrity Traitors, the show\u2019s producers would do well to take a few notes. One thing that is too late to fix, however, is the lineup<\/a>. Announced today, it includes an underwhelming and predictable collection of soap actors, nepo babies, and no fewer than four ex-Strictly stars. Thankfully, ITV has stopped casting politicians looking to jumpstart their redemption arc, but quite frankly, that\u2019s the bare minimum. <\/p>\nI\u2019m a Celeb 2025\u2019s motley crew of stars are lovely people, I\u2019m sure \u2013 but it\u2019s not exactly an exciting group. Take Ruby Wax: she\u2019ll have one-liners aplenty and hopefully not pull any punches \u2013 but the broadcaster has shared so much over the years that it\u2019s tough to imagine how even she will bring something new to the show. <\/p>\n
By comparison, Celebrity Traitors was swimming in A-list names, many of whom you\u2019d never expect to see on reality TV. There was actor and intellectual Sir Stephen Fry \u2013 a knighthood! On reality TV! \u2013 with actor Celia Imrie \u2013 farting, no less<\/a> \u2013 and Alan Carr, the unlikely antihero<\/a> who proved to be so terrible at being a traitor that the faithfuls suspected nothing. <\/p>\n\n![\"Predictable:](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2025\/11\/11\/9\/48\/im_a_celebrity_get_me_out_of_here_sr25_02.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nopen image in gallery<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nPredictable: the \u2018I\u2019m a Celeb\u2019 lineup is full of all the usual suspects (ITV)<\/span><\/div>\nAll hope is not lost, though. I\u2019m a Celeb does have two joker cards to play: its presenters. Ant and Dec have fronted almost every single episode (McPartlin sat one series out due to personal issues, and was replaced with Holly Willoughby), and they\u2019re at their funniest and best when lightly jibing the campmates, riffing in the live segments, and stifling laughter during the trials. Their brand is entirely different to the soft-spoken mystery of Claudia Winkleman, but it\u2019s hard to imagine I\u2019m a Celeb without its regular hosts. <\/p>\n
What needs changing then isn\u2019t the presenters, it\u2019s everything else. If bosses want I\u2019m a Celeb to have even a fraction of Celebrity Traitors\u2019 cultural impact, they need to find a way to make jungle life more unpredictable. <\/p>\n
Take the series premiere. It\u2019s usuallya bloated offering (this week\u2019s will clock in at a feature-length one hour and 35 minutes), which sees the celebs meet one another over flutes of champagne and gourmet party snacks. Ant and Dec will then arrive, and the group will be split into teams, or pairs, before taking on the first challenges while en route to the campsite. At least one of the campmates will scream every second, all but guaranteeing their place in the first Bushtucker Trial in the process. And somewhere near the end of the episode, they\u2019ll reach their final destination, where a debate will ensue over who gets a bed and who draws the short straw with a hammock. It\u2019s long, drawn out and wholly predictable, to say the least. <\/p>\n
When it comes to Celebrity Traitors, almost every theory shared by fans did not come to fruition. The upper-class intellectuals were no smarter than the rest of us<\/a>, real-world friendships stood for nothing<\/a> \u2013 and no, Carr\u2019s giggles didn\u2019t lead to his downfall<\/a>. It’s the unpredictability that makes for genuinely exciting viewing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Apple](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Apple_TV_Plus.png\")
<\/p>\n\nWatch Apple TV+ free for 7 day<\/p>\n
New subscribers only. \u00a39.99\/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nK<\/span>iosk Kev is on standby, the hammocks have been dusted off and the sheep\u2019s brains are already in the blender. That\u2019s right, I\u2019m a Celebrity\u2026 Get Me Out Of Here! is returning to screens once again<\/a> \u2013 only this year it\u2019s arriving off the back of another show that has set the bar much higher. Unfortunately for ITV, the debut episode of I\u2019m a Celeb is airing less than a fortnight after the conclusion of the BBC\u2019s newer, fresher juggernaut,The Celebrity Traitors<\/a>.<\/p>\nAcross nine episodes, the Beeb\u2019s new kid on the block became the most-watched entertainment show of the year<\/a>. And it wasn\u2019t only a ratings winner. The viral clips (Tom Daley\u2019s side-eye), memeable one-liners, and shocking<\/a> outcome cemented the show\u2019s position on any and all \u201cbest of 2025\u201d lists. Both the civilian and celebrity versions of The Traitors have proven that even in the days of streaming, there\u2019s still a hunger for good, old-fashioned event television. But only if the show concerned is actually worthy of chatter \u2013 which, when it comes to I\u2019m a Celeb, is increasingly not the case. <\/p>\nIf this season in the jungle is going to come close to the heights reached by TheCelebrity Traitors, the show\u2019s producers would do well to take a few notes. One thing that is too late to fix, however, is the lineup<\/a>. Announced today, it includes an underwhelming and predictable collection of soap actors, nepo babies, and no fewer than four ex-Strictly stars. Thankfully, ITV has stopped casting politicians looking to jumpstart their redemption arc, but quite frankly, that\u2019s the bare minimum. <\/p>\nI\u2019m a Celeb 2025\u2019s motley crew of stars are lovely people, I\u2019m sure \u2013 but it\u2019s not exactly an exciting group. Take Ruby Wax: she\u2019ll have one-liners aplenty and hopefully not pull any punches \u2013 but the broadcaster has shared so much over the years that it\u2019s tough to imagine how even she will bring something new to the show. <\/p>\n
By comparison, Celebrity Traitors was swimming in A-list names, many of whom you\u2019d never expect to see on reality TV. There was actor and intellectual Sir Stephen Fry \u2013 a knighthood! On reality TV! \u2013 with actor Celia Imrie \u2013 farting, no less<\/a> \u2013 and Alan Carr, the unlikely antihero<\/a> who proved to be so terrible at being a traitor that the faithfuls suspected nothing. <\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nopen image in gallery<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nPredictable: the \u2018I\u2019m a Celeb\u2019 lineup is full of all the usual suspects (ITV)<\/span><\/div>\nAll hope is not lost, though. I\u2019m a Celeb does have two joker cards to play: its presenters. Ant and Dec have fronted almost every single episode (McPartlin sat one series out due to personal issues, and was replaced with Holly Willoughby), and they\u2019re at their funniest and best when lightly jibing the campmates, riffing in the live segments, and stifling laughter during the trials. Their brand is entirely different to the soft-spoken mystery of Claudia Winkleman, but it\u2019s hard to imagine I\u2019m a Celeb without its regular hosts. <\/p>\n
What needs changing then isn\u2019t the presenters, it\u2019s everything else. If bosses want I\u2019m a Celeb to have even a fraction of Celebrity Traitors\u2019 cultural impact, they need to find a way to make jungle life more unpredictable. <\/p>\n
Take the series premiere. It\u2019s usuallya bloated offering (this week\u2019s will clock in at a feature-length one hour and 35 minutes), which sees the celebs meet one another over flutes of champagne and gourmet party snacks. Ant and Dec will then arrive, and the group will be split into teams, or pairs, before taking on the first challenges while en route to the campsite. At least one of the campmates will scream every second, all but guaranteeing their place in the first Bushtucker Trial in the process. And somewhere near the end of the episode, they\u2019ll reach their final destination, where a debate will ensue over who gets a bed and who draws the short straw with a hammock. It\u2019s long, drawn out and wholly predictable, to say the least. <\/p>\n
When it comes to Celebrity Traitors, almost every theory shared by fans did not come to fruition. The upper-class intellectuals were no smarter than the rest of us<\/a>, real-world friendships stood for nothing<\/a> \u2013 and no, Carr\u2019s giggles didn\u2019t lead to his downfall<\/a>. It’s the unpredictability that makes for genuinely exciting viewing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\nWatch Apple TV+ free for 7 day<\/p>\n
New subscribers only. \u00a39.99\/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nK<\/span>iosk Kev is on standby, the hammocks have been dusted off and the sheep\u2019s brains are already in the blender. That\u2019s right, I\u2019m a Celebrity\u2026 Get Me Out Of Here! is returning to screens once again<\/a> \u2013 only this year it\u2019s arriving off the back of another show that has set the bar much higher. Unfortunately for ITV, the debut episode of I\u2019m a Celeb is airing less than a fortnight after the conclusion of the BBC\u2019s newer, fresher juggernaut,The Celebrity Traitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n Across nine episodes, the Beeb\u2019s new kid on the block became the most-watched entertainment show of the year<\/a>. And it wasn\u2019t only a ratings winner. The viral clips (Tom Daley\u2019s side-eye), memeable one-liners, and shocking<\/a> outcome cemented the show\u2019s position on any and all \u201cbest of 2025\u201d lists. Both the civilian and celebrity versions of The Traitors have proven that even in the days of streaming, there\u2019s still a hunger for good, old-fashioned event television. But only if the show concerned is actually worthy of chatter \u2013 which, when it comes to I\u2019m a Celeb, is increasingly not the case. <\/p>\n If this season in the jungle is going to come close to the heights reached by TheCelebrity Traitors, the show\u2019s producers would do well to take a few notes. One thing that is too late to fix, however, is the lineup<\/a>. Announced today, it includes an underwhelming and predictable collection of soap actors, nepo babies, and no fewer than four ex-Strictly stars. Thankfully, ITV has stopped casting politicians looking to jumpstart their redemption arc, but quite frankly, that\u2019s the bare minimum. <\/p>\n I\u2019m a Celeb 2025\u2019s motley crew of stars are lovely people, I\u2019m sure \u2013 but it\u2019s not exactly an exciting group. Take Ruby Wax: she\u2019ll have one-liners aplenty and hopefully not pull any punches \u2013 but the broadcaster has shared so much over the years that it\u2019s tough to imagine how even she will bring something new to the show. <\/p>\n By comparison, Celebrity Traitors was swimming in A-list names, many of whom you\u2019d never expect to see on reality TV. There was actor and intellectual Sir Stephen Fry \u2013 a knighthood! On reality TV! \u2013 with actor Celia Imrie \u2013 farting, no less<\/a> \u2013 and Alan Carr, the unlikely antihero<\/a> who proved to be so terrible at being a traitor that the faithfuls suspected nothing. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Predictable: the \u2018I\u2019m a Celeb\u2019 lineup is full of all the usual suspects (ITV)<\/span><\/div>\n All hope is not lost, though. I\u2019m a Celeb does have two joker cards to play: its presenters. Ant and Dec have fronted almost every single episode (McPartlin sat one series out due to personal issues, and was replaced with Holly Willoughby), and they\u2019re at their funniest and best when lightly jibing the campmates, riffing in the live segments, and stifling laughter during the trials. Their brand is entirely different to the soft-spoken mystery of Claudia Winkleman, but it\u2019s hard to imagine I\u2019m a Celeb without its regular hosts. <\/p>\n What needs changing then isn\u2019t the presenters, it\u2019s everything else. If bosses want I\u2019m a Celeb to have even a fraction of Celebrity Traitors\u2019 cultural impact, they need to find a way to make jungle life more unpredictable. <\/p>\n Take the series premiere. It\u2019s usuallya bloated offering (this week\u2019s will clock in at a feature-length one hour and 35 minutes), which sees the celebs meet one another over flutes of champagne and gourmet party snacks. Ant and Dec will then arrive, and the group will be split into teams, or pairs, before taking on the first challenges while en route to the campsite. At least one of the campmates will scream every second, all but guaranteeing their place in the first Bushtucker Trial in the process. And somewhere near the end of the episode, they\u2019ll reach their final destination, where a debate will ensue over who gets a bed and who draws the short straw with a hammock. It\u2019s long, drawn out and wholly predictable, to say the least. <\/p>\n When it comes to Celebrity Traitors, almost every theory shared by fans did not come to fruition. The upper-class intellectuals were no smarter than the rest of us<\/a>, real-world friendships stood for nothing<\/a> \u2013 and no, Carr\u2019s giggles didn\u2019t lead to his downfall<\/a>. It’s the unpredictability that makes for genuinely exciting viewing. <\/p>\n Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day<\/p>\n New subscribers only. \u00a39.99\/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"It\u2019s](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2025\/11\/10\/10\/19\/Nick-in-the-Celebrity-Traitors-final.png\")
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