When Does I'm A Celeb Start 2026 Uk

Right, let’s address the burning question that’s already starting to gnaw at the nation’s collective sock drawer: When does I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! start in 2026? You know, the annual ritual where we watch minor celebrities trade their Caviar for witchetty grubs and their dignity for a black bin bag poncho. I can almost smell the damp jungle air and the faint, desperate scent of a Z-list star realising they’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Let’s cut to the chase, because unlike Ant and Dec’s endless jokes, this is a short paragraph. The 2026 series is expected to kick off sometime in mid-to-late November. It’s the TV equivalent of your annual Christmas panic, but with more spiders. ITV loves to plonk it right after the clocks change and the weather turns miserable, just to really rub it in that you’re stuck at home while they’re in the Australian sunshine.

The Exact Date? A Bush Telegraph Mystery

Now, for the exact date—like, the precise Sunday night—we’re in a bit of a pickle. ITV is famously tight-lipped until about two weeks before, usually when the first contestant “accidentally” gets spotted at Heathrow Airport, looking like they’re off to a hostage situation. If history is any guide, and it always is, we’re looking at the last Sunday of November or the first week of December. Mark your calendars in pencil, preferably a very smudgy one that smells of damp wood.

Why the secrecy? It’s not just to drive us mad (though it works). It’s because ITU has to negotiate with Australian customs, the weather gods, and the delicate egos of the lineup. One misstep and your entire schedule is thrown off, like a campmate trying to fold a Kmart tent in a storm.

What’s the Hold-Up? The Gruelling Pre-Game

Here’s a surprising fact that might make you feel better about your own job: The actual filming starts a full week before the first episode airs. That’s right. The contestants are already in the jungle, eating testicles and bonding over existential dread, while you’re still wondering what’s for tea. They’ve already met the producers, signed a contract in invisible ink, and had their phones confiscated by a man named Kevin with a clipboard. It’s a pre-game show that makes the Super Bowl look like a toddler’s tea party.

And let’s not forget the “Bush Telegraph” rigmarole. Once the show starts, it runs for roughly three weeks, ending with a glitzy final where someone wins a helicopter ride and a lifetime supply of nervous twitches. The finale is traditionally around mid-December, just in time to be completely forgotten about by Christmas Eve.

How to Survive the Wait (Without Eating a Bug)

So, what do you do with the agonising gap between now and November? First, stock up on wine and snacks. You’re going to need them for the nightly montages of rain and arguments about rice. Second, start a pool with your mates to guess which “star” will have a “meltdown” first. Spoiler: it’s always the one who said they “love a challenge” in the pre-show interview.

Also, get ready for the most addictive bit of trivia: the amount of money they’re paid. It ranges from a bus fare and a packet of crisps for the unknowns to a whopping £500,000 for the headliner (usually someone’s ex-husband from a 1990s boy band). You’ll find yourself Googling their net worth while a tarantula crawls over their face. It’s weirdly satisfying.

And let's be honest, the real start date is whenever you first see a news headline that says, “I’m a Celeb star spotted buying a ridiculous hat at Stansted.” That’s your cue. That’s the official trumpet call of the jungle.

A Quick Note on the Format (Because It Changes Every Year)

Will they bring back the “Celebrity Cyclone”? Who knows. Will they have a new challenge called “The Dump of Doom”? Probably. One thing is guaranteed: Ant and Dec will look effortlessly tanned while wearing shorts in November, which is frankly an act of war against the British weather. They’ll exchange a look that says, “We are getting paid a fortune, and you are eating a kangaroo penis.” It’s the highlight of the year.

Set Your Alarms (and Your Dignity Aside)

To answer the question properly: I’m a Celebrity 2026 will most likely start on Sunday, 22nd November 2026. Or maybe the 23rd. Or possibly the 29th. I’m hedging my bets like a camp leader betting on whether the hell is running out of rice. Just know this: when that first episode airs, half of Britain will be shouting “Get it down yer!” at a TV set while the other half wonders why they ever thought Phil from a reality show in 2005 was a good idea.

In the meantime, practice your mullet hairstyle. Familiarise yourself with the phrase “dip-dive-and-sideways-slither.” And for goodness’ sake, do not, under any circumstances, say “I’d never do that,” because you will absolutely be watching every single second of it. The jungle is waiting. And so am I. See you in November.