The Struggle to Revive a Beloved Reality Show
The long-running reality series I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Australia has faced a difficult decision in recent months. Despite the presence of fan favourites and former winners, it seems that even a “jungle” full of nostalgia couldn’t save the show from being axed.
Brendan Fevola, a former winner of the show, confirmed he had been approached for a potential winners season, but ultimately turned it down. According to insiders, Network Ten was already deep into discussions about how to revive audience excitement around the format before the final decision was made.
“Ten was absolutely looking at a nostalgia season,” a source close to production claimed. “Former winners, fan favourites, and memorable campmates had already started getting phone calls.”
However, the idea of an all-stars version came with its own set of challenges. Insiders revealed that producers quickly realized a winners-only format had limitations. “There’s only around a dozen actual winners to choose from and not everybody wants to do it again,” the source said. “When you’ve had close to 170 celebrities through ‘the jungle’ over the years, that’s a much richer group to mine from.”
Audiences remember the chaos-makers, the unexpected friendships, and the celebrities who never quite got their redemption story. The source also mentioned that enough time had passed for celebrities to be interested in returning, but this opportunity didn’t materialize this time.
Reality television experts believe that all-stars editions are often used by struggling franchises as a way to reignite interest with loyal viewers, particularly when networks fear audiences have emotionally disconnected from newer casts.
“It’s the television equivalent of comfort food,” says the insider. “People already know these personalities. There’s history there, rivalries there, and unfinished business. Networks lean into nostalgia because it’s safer than launching something completely new.”
Despite the behind-the-scenes planning, the future of I’m A Celebrity reportedly came down to the wire. Sources allege that Paramount Australia boss Beverley McGarvey only made the final call at the eleventh hour, with Ten still undecided when early reports first emerged that the series had been axed.
“When those reports leaked, the decision actually hadn’t formally been locked in yet,” the source claims. “There were still conversations happening internally about whether the format could be refreshed.”
Ultimately, insiders say the network decided the show had reached the end of its run on Ten, with escalating production costs and talent negotiations becoming increasingly difficult behind the scenes.
Now, attention has shifted to what happens next, with both Seven and Nine believed to be circling the lucrative ITV format. And while “the jungle” may survive elsewhere, insiders insist viewers shouldn’t expect a carbon copy of the Ten version.
“The reset button will be hit completely,” says the source. “Seven or Nine would absolutely take the elements that worked, but they won’t want to simply rehash Ten’s era of the show. They’d make it feel like their own franchise from day one.”
Speaking on The Fox’s Fifi, Fex & Nick Show on May 25, Brendan Fevola suggested that the show might not disappear entirely from our screens. “It might be onto another station… the ITV people rang so I assume it’s still going ahead,” he said about when he was initially approached.
