Footballer Ian Wright is reportedly in discussion with ITV about joining the cast of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here
One of the first names into the hat for the 2019 series, reports state that Ian is currently in talks trying to work out the logistics of heading to Australia to film.
According to The Sun, retired Arsenal player Ian – who’s now a popular football pundit – has been offered a six-figure salary in order to secure him for the series, with bookies already predicting his popularity.
“Ian would be a massive signing for ITV who’ve been keen to get him Down Under for a while,” said a TV source.
“After watching Harry Redknapp win the last series, Ian has decided he would be up for giving it a whirl.
“He’s been offered a six figure sum to take part. [He’s] not afraid of much but has joked to his pals he’ll be useless at the eating tasks because he’s so fussy.”
The show has a long history of signing ex-sports players, who often go on to prove extremely popular.
CHECK OUT the most OUTRAGEOUS bushtucker trials ever
I'm A Celebrity 2014: The WORST Bushtucker Trials EVER!
Dean Gaffney (2006)
Ex-EastEnder Dean Gaffney showed off his impressive ability to yelp like an injured animal in his 2006 trial. To be fair to the man, he did have cockroaches poured on his head, put his hands in a box of biting ants and retrieve a star from a pool of baby crocodiles.
Gino D’Acampo (2009)
“I think I’ve got to eat some kind of weird stuff,” commented Gino when he was told he was going to do a Bushtucker Bonanza. Yep, we guess that a fermented egg, a rhino beetle, cockroach, wittchedy grub, mealworms, beach worms and crocodile tongue might be considered ‘weird’.
Jennie Bond (2004)
Alone, wet, cold and covered with rats. Not a situation we’d like to get in any time soon, but former Royal correspondent Jennie Bond managed to last a whole 10 minutes locked in a water and rat filled coffin by humming an upbeat tune. We salute you, Ms. Bond.
Joey Essex (2013)
Locked in a cold, dark, slimy tomb, we’d be freaking out if we were Joey in his 2013 task. But the TOWIE star powered through and managed to find all twelve hidden stars without uttering a single scream, only stopping to moan ‘This is definitely, 100% not reem,’ and to comment that the rodents were biting his ‘middle parts’.
Mark Wright and Freddie Starr (2011)
TOWIE’s Mark and hamster-eating comedian Freddie were an oddly matched pair for the ‘Greasy Spoon Café’ culinary battle, but the resulting Bushtucker trial has to be one of our faves. The couple was challenged to dine on a spoiled egg, blended cockroaches, mealworms and mouse tails, turkey testicles, a camel’s toe and a pigs anus.
Martina Navratilova (2008)
Tennis pro Martina impressed us all when she shared a plastic bubble helmet with a variety of jungle critters, including grasshoppers, cockroaches, stick insects, spiders and snakes. While we shuddered and hid behind our hands, Martina took it like a champ.
Matt Willis (2006)
Poor Matt Willis proved he’s no wimp when he munched his way to victory in his Bushtucker Bonanza challenge of 2006. The McBusted star dined out on live mealworms, witchetty grubs, a kangaroo anus and a crocodile penis. Mr Willis managed the whole lot without a single retch, commenting after ‘I’ve got kangaroo anus in my teeth. It’s a really good look.’
Kim Woodburn (2009)
Kim was submerged in a tank under water, while thousands of cockroaches and other critters were poured on her. As much as we did feel for clean freak Kim, her screeches of "Something’s nipping my bosoms" and "It's bitten my bum!" made this trial a timeless classic.
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In 2018, former player-turned-manager Harry Redknapp reigned victorious as King of the Jungle, and other sporty names include but are not limited to John Fashanu, Phil Tufnell, Neil Ruddock and Martina Navratilova.
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Back on our screens for 2019 is Ant McPartlin, who last year took some time offfor the first time in the show’s 18 year history to focus on his mental health, following the break down of his marriage and a drink driving arrest, which resulted in a lengthy rehab stay.
“We love what Holly did, but we’re very much looking forward to Ant coming back and I think it’s going to be an amazing series,” said director Richard Cowles earlier this year.
“I think the job is for us to create a series and cast where everyone wants to come back and watch more, so I’m not worried [about ratings].
“I’m looking forward to seeing Ant and Dec back again."