Latest News About I'm A Celebrity... South Africa

Here’s the latest I can share about I'm a Celebrity... South Africa, based on the most recent public reporting.

• Series status and timing

  • The show is presenting as a return for 2026, following earlier all-star editions. Reports indicate filming took place in 2025 with a live final format introduced in the UK for the second series. The Independent’s coverage (April 2026) profiles the 2026 cast and notes the live final back in the UK with viewer voting on the winner.[2][3]
  • ITV has publicly framed the South Africa location as part of a fresh format with twists and all-star contestants returning from previous series. The format emphasizes “lots of twists and turns” and a blend of nostalgia with new challenges.[1]

• Cast and line-up

  • The 2026 edition is described as featuring former contestants joining a core cast, with some late additions announced by ITV in March 2026 and coverage highlighting familiar faces from past series. The first series (2023) was won by Myleene Klass, an all-star returning contestant, with Jordan Banjo as runner-up in that earlier edition; this helps frame the kind of celebrity pool you might expect in the newer series.[3][4]
  • For the 2026 lineup, outlets have run features titled “Meet the cast of 2026” and included names like Gemma Collins and Mo Farah among others in early reports, signaling a high-profile mix of celebrities from prior seasons.[3]

• Format and viewing

  • Unlike the Australian version, the South Africa edition has been described as pre-recorded in earlier cycles, with a live component added for the final in the 2026 cycle, allowing a UK public vote to decide the winner (the latter detail is highlighted by several outlets as a notable twist).[2][3]
  • ITVX pages for episode content over the season show ongoing uploads and episodes as the series unfolds, confirming ongoing broadcast activity in 2026.[10]

• Context and history

  • The concept originated as an all-stars edition in South Africa, with the first series airing in 2023 and subsequent plans for a second series confirmed for 2026, including filming in late 2025 and a live final in the UK.[4][2]
  • Coverage from ITV and entertainment press emphasizes a return to a familiar jungle vibe while introducing new dynamics and “twists” that differentiate it from the original format.[1]

Illustration (example of typical season structure)

• A batch of returning campmates arrives in South Africa.
• They compete in a series of trials with increasing difficulty.
• Instead of a public vote in some editions, the 2026 cycle features a live UK final with viewer voting to determine the winner, adding a fresh twist and real-time engagement.

If you’d like, I can compile a concise summary of the confirmed cast for 2026 and the official broadcast dates as they’re announced, or set up a quick comparison table of the 2023 vs 2026 editions. Please tell me which you prefer.