Maura Higgins confirms relationship status as she completes I’m A Celeb line-up

TV royalty Maura Higgins has been confirmed as one of the final I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2024 stars.

The Love Island legend, 33, and Strictly Come Dancing star Reverend Richard Coles will be heading into the jungle and meeting their fellow campmates.

With 10 stars settled in, including a few who have already faced Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s grim bushtucker trials, and the final two joining, this means our full line-up is complete.

The ITV series launched on Sunday and is expected to last for three weeks, when one campmate will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle and follow in the footsteps of reigning champion Sam Thompson.

What time does I’m A Celebrity air tonight?

I’m A Celebrity will return tonight at 9pm on ITV1, after the nearly two-hour launch show last night.

It will continue throughout the whole week, including Saturday and Sunday nights, airing at the same time.

But who is taking part, including one celebrity reported to be raking in £5,000,000 after their reality stint and the final two latecomers?

Maura Higgins

Love Island icon Maura was said to be heading into the jungle after rumours she was replacing Tommy Fury.

The Irish star, who was pictured growing close to Strictly’s Pete Wicks, wasted no time in confirming her relationship status before heading into the jungle.

‘I am single at the moment, but honestly no one is going to fancy me in the jungle. Trust me,’ she said.

Maura also revealed that taking part in the ITV series is a ‘pinch me moment’.

‘This is the only TV show I have ever wanted to do and it’s a
real pinch me moment,’ she said.

‘I am ready to step outside my comfort zone. I hope I do make myself proud and I am both excited but also very nervous, because I am scared of absolutely everything.’

She added that she’s looking forward to stripping back and detoxing without tan and makeup, but is petrified of the eating challenges and of sleeping outside.

‘I am going to be brave,’ she vowed. ‘I want to go in and see how I get on. It was the same with Love Island and I am looking forward to it all.’

Reverend Richard Coles

Writer and broadcaster Reverend Richard Coles is the second latecomer and final celebrity in the camp, but is worried about being a late entry.

He said: ‘I have flown in from Brazil and the Amazon to do this, as I have been giving some talks there. It’s a tougher gig being the late entrant as you already have some groups forming.

‘And I am nervous of getting in there and not recognising people. You could be talking to the most famous influencer in the world and not know who it is. So that will be tricky.’

He added that his Strictly stint in 2017 is ‘good preparation’, saying: ‘Trying to do a Paso Doble was pretty challenging and also deeply humiliating when I attempted it. But this is going to be physically hard.’

‘I expect I will share stories,’ the 62-year-old added. ‘I will have to be very careful and self censor as I go along, but I imagine that it will be very difficult after a while.’

Coleen Rooney

After being reported to be the biggest deal in I’m A Celebrity history, Coleen Rooney has officially been confirmed to join I’m A Celebrity, with the star reported to rake in £5,000,000.

The 38-year-old TV personality and WAG has been in the public eye for more than 20 years with her husband Wayne, and has been asked to do the show for many years, but always said no.

She’s now revealed: ‘Over the years, there have been different things going on in my life and also, my children have been really young. But they are at an age now where I can go away for this length of time.

‘I also feel it’s time to have a challenge for me and do something different. It has taken many, many years but I’m finally doing it. And I have always said if I was going to do one – then it would be this show. I think it will be good for me.’

She insisted she doesn’t have phobias, but admitted that the older she gets, the more nervous she is about things.

Talking about possibly winning, she said it would be ‘lovely’ to do so but wants to go as far as she can.

‘Whatever I do in life, I like to put my all into it and so if I am going in there, it would be nice to stay until the end,’ the mum-of-four went on.

‘Why would I go in there and then want to come out after week one? I want to go as far as I can but perhaps more importantly I have spoken with others who have taken part and they have all said that it was an experience that was a once in a lifetime opportunity and will probably never come again so wanted to get the most out of it, so I am excited to be a part of it.’

Oti Mabuse

Dancing on Ice judge and former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse is heading into the jungle after watching the show ‘religiously’.

‘I can remember last year thinking: “Ok, this feels right. I am definitely
up for it now, I am up for the challenge”,’ she said.

The mum-of-one, who calls herself ‘a terrible cook’ added: ‘In my head I am a superhero but snakes are not my thing. I am petrified of them and they are my biggest fear.’

She added: ‘I’d like to think I will be a comfort mum in camp. I can listen to stories, motivate and hopefully entertain everyone with a bit of dancing.

‘I hope to teach everyone a few moves. We will create our own talent show in the jungle!’

The 34-year-old revealed she will be competitive when it comes to winning the stars, and will be using her time in camp to catch up on sleep and make friendships with people she wouldn’t normally meet.

Alan Halsall

Coronation Street star Alan Halsall is finally able to take part in the show after being forced to pull out last year after a knee injury.

The Tyrone Dobbs actor said: ‘It feels like the worst kept secret ever! It was a bit of a shock when I got the knee injury last year and whilst I am signed off surgically, I still have several months of physio ahead of me.’

Talking about what he’ll miss the most while he’s in the jungle, the 42-year-old said he’s not so worried about the small portions of food in camp, but is feeling emotional about leaving his daughter.

‘We never spend more than two weeks apart. I am very emotional about Sienna, so it will be interesting to see how I cope.

‘I tend to try to hide my emotions but with Sienna I’m not very good at all – I think I will have several blubs. She is 11 and so I’m hoping I won’t embarrass her,’ he said.

Alan added that he’s now looking to win but wants to ‘enjoy it’, saying: ‘You are dealing with some big personalities in camp and I am just looking forward to having lots of fun.’

Jane Moore

Jane Moore is following in the footsteps of her Loose Women colleagues like Linda Robson and Janet Street-Porter on I’m A Celebrity.

The panellist and journalist, 62, is hoping to bring debates and ‘good chats’ to the camp, and is looking forward to time away from her phone and laptop.

‘I have never done a reality show before and I’ve always said when we talk
about these things on Loose Women that this programme would be the one. I like an adventure and it appeals to me,’ she said.

Jane added that although she sees herself as ‘a gutsy person’, she’s preparing herself for the spiders, critters and eating challenges, laughing: ‘Vomit live on TV – now that is a career highlight!’

‘Physical reactions and emotions are something you can’t control,’ she went on.

‘And how you think you are going to react could be different. And so I could end up having a good blub!’

Dean McCullough

Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has admitted he has phobias of ‘everything’ and is seeing I’m a Celebrity as a three-week therapy camp.

He said: ‘I am terrified of everything and the more I think about being put in the ground with 50 snakes or getting those green fly things that bite poured over me – well there’s just no point thinking about it, as otherwise I won’t get on the plane!’

The 32-year-old admitted he nearly passed out just watching the show last year and once had to checkout of a hostel in the middle of the night after seeing a cockroach, but is prepared to ‘give everything ago’.

He added: ‘I want to try and get some stars for everyone. I have travelled the world, I have backpacked, taught in orphanages and I have gone through the mill several times.

‘But I am 32 now and it’s time to start a new chapter and learn a bit more about who I am. A three-week therapy session is the perfect way to describe this!’

He’s hoping to bring ‘good vibes’ to the camp to counteract any low moods, and promises to make up dance routines and encourage everyone else to sing.

‘I’m here for a good time – not a long time,’ Dean declared.

Tulisa Contostavlos

N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos has revealed she’s ‘scared of a lot of stuff’ and wants people to ‘get to know the real me’ while she’s on the show.

The former X Factor judge, 36, compared herself to Frodo Baggins in Lord of The Rings, as she takes on the ‘unexpected journey’.

‘I feel really adventurous this year and the place I am now in, I want to do things that take me out of my comfort zone.

‘I have always said I wouldn’t do this show in the past, as there are things that have terrified me.

‘But the person I am now, I want to throw caution to the wind,’ she said.

Tulisa went on to say she thinks she might ‘struggle’ for the first few days in the camp and be quite ’emotional’, having not been in the spotlight ‘for a while’ and ‘avoided it out of an irrational fear’.

She also insisted she won’t be recreating Myleene Klass’ jungle shower moment, vowing: ‘I am wearing black, I am going to pack three plain bikinis, as I don’t want to draw attention to myself.

‘I am not going to step out in white. It will be the polar opposite and if someone can hold up a towel then I will (ask them!).’

Melvin Odoom

TV presenter and DJ Melvin Odoom is also part of the I’m A Celebrity 2024 line-up, after his close friend Marvin Humes’ stint last year.

He said: ‘Ant and Dec will be there, I will get to meet some really cool and talented people – and so I am trying to appreciate all of those positive aspects rather than think about lying in a coffin with creepy crawlies on my face, as I know that will freak me out. I am scared of everything!’

The 44-year-old admitted he’s worrying about snoring and the lack of food, but will also miss his family and Radio 1 colleagues.

Talking about possibly being crowned King of the Jungle, he said: ‘It’s not about winning, I just want to experience it and hopefully say I got through it all.

‘Winning is not the be all and end all. I want to go there, get on with people and there will be no drama!’

Barry McGuigan

Boxing legend Barry McGuigan is ready to take on the physical and psychological challenges in the show, saying he wants to conquer them ‘before I get too old’.

He said: ‘I’m 63 now. I’d like to think I’m a young 63, but that doesn’t mean it’ll make any of these challenges easy. I’d rather do it when I’m 63, than 73, put it that way.’

Barry went on: ‘I’d like to do well. I’m not saying I’m going to win, but I’d like to be in there for a sustained amount of time so that I can get to know all of the guys in camp.’

He added that he’s willing to do anything, and wouldn’t ‘refuse’ any challenges, saying: ‘It might be disgusting and you might be tired, but being a fighter and being dedicated and committed to training and getting ready for fights… you have to go through hell, physically as well as psychologically. So, I know what I’m letting myself in for.

‘Listen, it might be very funny, me going, “Oh no, go on, you do it!” There might be all of that. But at the end of the day I’m not going to refuse.’

GK Barry

Social media star GK Barry confessed she can’t believe she’ll be on I’m A Celebrity after being a ‘super fan’ of the show.

‘They (Ant & Dec) went: “What is a GK Barry?”, and now we have gone from that to me being on the show. It has gone full circle.

‘I can’t wait to meet them in Australia in the jungle. I am also excited to meet everyone on the programme, as the cast is always so amazing,’ she said.

The TikTok sensation, who was said to have sparked ‘crisis talks’ at ITV after a controversial podcast episode, went on to say that her time in the camp will be like a ‘retreat’ away from social media.

Speaking of her fears, the 25-year-old added: ‘I haven’t slept in a month. I am scared of the Trials and I am genuinely scared of everything. The eating trial to me is the worst thing you can do to a human being.

‘You also don’t know who you are going to click with either but hopefully after the first week, I will settle in nicely.’

Danny Jones

Completing the line-up for this year’s series is McFly star Danny Jones.

The Masked Singer and The Voice UK winner is looking to continue his winning streak on I’m A Celebrity, calling it a ‘bucket list thing’.

He said: ‘I felt very privileged to be asked to do it. This is an amazing opportunity. I had time in the diary, which was insane.

‘I’ll never get the opportunity again. I’ve always learned so much more from pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

‘For me it’s learning about myself as well. And showing my little boy that it’s ok to be scared – it’s do it and conquer it.’