I’m A Celeb premiere live coverage: 11 celeb contestants head into the jungle

This year’s I’m A Celeb contestants have been revealed – and it turns out we were all way off about one Olympic champ. Here’s the lowdown.

A new batch of nervous celebrities entered the South African bush during the season premiere of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, season 11, which aired Sunday night on Ten.

An Olympian, a stand-up comedian, reality TV royalty and a 90s TV star are among this year’s celebs … and the ghost of Raygun loomed large, as more than one celeb expectantly wondered if the infamous, much-memed break dancer would really be joining them in the jungle (spoiler: She’s not... so far, at least).

There were awkward scenes as they all met each other for the first time, with more than a few clearly having no idea who each other are.

“And … what’s your talent?” MAFS star Samantha Moitzi politely asked sporting great Sam Thaiday, who informed the Queenslander he’d played in the NRL for 16 years.

90s TV star Nicki Buckley greeted Moitzi with a warm “Beautiful! You … are … beautiful.” Translation: I don’t watch MAFS and I’ve never seen this woman before in my life.

Here are this year’s contestants, starting with a non-Raygun “controversial Olympian”:

Shayna Jack

Olympic swimmer Shayna Jack.

Her charity: Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia

Swimming camp Jack is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time world record holder. She should have some juicy sports stories to share around the campfire too: From 2019 she served a two-year competition ban for an anti-doping rule violation relating to unintentional use of an anabolic agent.

Upon arrival, Shayna confirmed that she was the Olympic athlete teased pre-show that many people were convinced was actually going to be controversial breakdancer Raygun.

She’s not Raygun, guys. You don’t have to boycott the show like you all insisted.

Over on X, viewers are rejoicing that Raygun’s apparently not on the show: “Thank god.” “Thank the lord.” “So glad it wasn’t Raygun.” Boo! Does nobody want to have FUN anymore?

Tina Provis

Love Island star Tina Provis.

Her charity: Dementia Australia

Another reality TV dating show survivor: Provis appeared on Love Island Australia seasons three and four, and became the first Asian woman to win the show. She went on to appear on the spin-off Love Island Games. Now, having presumably exhausted every show in the Love Island multiverse, she’s headed into the jungle.

Zach Tuohy

Former AFL player Zack Tuohy.

His charity: Heart Kids

This AFL player (every non-Victorian viewer: come back!) retired from the game at the end of last year, his 15th year as a player. Ireland-born Tuohy played for Carlton for seven years before moving to the Geelong Cats. He’s no footy hard man, though: Zach says he’s afraid of “basically everything” on the show and would “prefer to stay in a hotel if that’s possible.” Could he be Bernard Tomic 2.0?

Geraldine Hickey

Comedian Geraldine Hickey.

Charity: Dementia Australia

Stand-up comedian Hickey is already a familiar face to Ten viewers, with regular appearances on shows like The Project, Thank God You’re Here and Have You Been Paying Attention? She’s been working as a comedian since 2001. And this gay woman is ready to push her limits for the show: “On a food trial, I’m willing to try a penis. Not something I thought I’d ever say.”

Nicki Buckley

Aussie TV presenter Nicki Buckley.

Her charity: Ovarian Cancer Australia

Dare we call her a 90s Australian TV icon? Buckley became known in the early 90s as co-host to Greg Evans on the dating show Perfect Match. She went on to become co-host of Sale of the Century, and was even at the centre of a TV scandal in 1997 when she dared to wear a figure-hugging evening dress on the show while heavily pregnant (…it was a different time). Like Jo Beth Taylor and Toni Pearen before her, Buckley scratches the “Haven’t heard from her in years but she was huge in the 90s” I’m A Celeb itch.

Samantha Moitzi

Former MAFS star Samantha Moitzi.

Her charity: Butterfly Org.

She’s a former Married At First Sight contestant, and lets hope she follows the tradition of previous MAFS stars who bring the drama on I’m A Celeb (remember Dom v. Kerri-Anne two seasons ago?). She says she’s going on I’m A Celeb to “step out of her comfort zone,” nothing at all to do with extending her 15 minutes of reality TV fame.

Max Balegde

UK social media personality Max Balegde.

Charity: Minus18

Who? If you’re not terminally online you probably haven’t heard of this “UK social media sensation” (read: makes a lot of TikToks), but there’s no denying he’s got a big following. Half a million Instagram followers, almost 400m TikTok likes: He should be a camp, bubbly, pop-culture obsessed presence around camp. Here’s a taste: One of the first thing he asked his team mates about in tonight’s premiere was whether Raygun was really on the show (I know, Max. I’m sad too). Later on, Matty J posed the same question - these two should get on.

Poor thing might struggle in some areas though: He fainted / collapsed / needed a little lie down when he was due to face tonight’s height-based challenge (to his credit, he did successfully complete it).

And a handful of this year’s contestants were already announced ahead of tonight’s premiere:

Dave Hughes

Aussie comic Dave Hughes.

His charity: RCD Foundation

The veteran Aussie comedian and TV and radio star has been asked many times to appear on I’m A Celeb – 2025 finally felt like the right time after he and his co-hosts were unceremoniously booted from their brekkie radio gig at the end of last year.

“There’s room in the schedule, and I’ve always thought I would be good in the jungle. I love talking to people and I love hearing people’s stories, and I’m going to have plenty of time to do both in the jungle. I’ve always wanted to go in,” he told news.com.au.

And he revealed his time as a radio host may now be behind him.

“I just don’t need it, if you know what I mean? I don’t need to be doing that or doing full-time radio. And look, it may never happen again, to be honest.”

Reggie Sorensen

Reality TV veteran Reggie Sorensen.

Her charity: Guide Dogs Australia

Two-time Big Brother winner Reggie was rightly teased as “reality TV royalty” by Ten, but as she told news.com.au in an interview announcing her new gig, life hasn’t been easy of late.

Reggie pocketed $250,000 cash in 2022 for her second Big Brother win, but the money hasn’t exactly been life-changing. Unemployed and unable to secure a home loan, it’s instead been spent on rent and essentially keeping her afloat in day-to-day life.

“It’s been poo to be honest. I’m not whingeing, but that’s been the reality of it. So it’s been hard,” she said.

She said she hoped her I’m A Celeb stint would lead to more TV opportunities.

“It’s just a matter of someone giving me that chance. It’s a really weird situation to be in: A lot of people go, ‘Everyone loves Reggie,’ but no one wants me.”

Sam Thaiday

NRL favourite Sam Thaiday. Picture: Network Ten.

His charity: Find Ya Feet

Brisbane Broncos legend Sam Thaiday delivered a blunt warning in an interview with news.com.au as he prepared to enter the jungle.

He’s vowed to do what no other former NRL player has done: be the last man standing and take out the win on the show.

He might struggle, though: Like many athletes, food is important to Thaiday and he admitted to news.com.au he’s not sure how he’ll fare on miserly rations of rice and beans.

“I’m a foodie, I love my food,” he said, telling us he’d miss “the ability to walk past the fridge and grab a bit of beef jerky out of there, even just something as simple as some nice cheese and biscuits.”

Former Bachelor Matty J

Former Bachelor star Matty J.

His charity: Starlight Foundation

Former Bachelor Matty J was earlier this week the first contestant revealed to be taking part this year. It meant he was the first this year to weather the usual I’m A Celeb rite of passage: Irate fans of the show insisting they’ve “never heard of you” and have “no idea who you are.”

Matty J and I’m A Celeb’s joint social post announcing he was going into the jungle attracted hundreds of comments, with many insisting they had no clue who he was.

I’m A Celeb’s previous winners

Season 1: Freddie Flintoff

Season 2: Brendan Fevola

Season 3: Casey Donovan

Season 4: Fiona O’Loughlin

Season 5: Richard Reid

Season 6: Miguel Maestre

Season 7: Abbie Chatfield

Season 8: Dylan Lewis

Season 9: Liz Ellis

Season 10: Skye Wheatley

I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! airs Sunday At 7pm And Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play.

Originally published as I’m A Celeb premiere live coverage: 11 celeb contestants head into the jungle