I'm A Celebrity kicks off tonight, and we've gotten hold of the highlights from the first day in the jungle. So, for your delictation, here's the best from the jungle for today.
THE TEAMS
This year sees the celebrities split into two teams of five, each unaware of who is in the opposing teams. The teams will camp in two areas of the celebrity jungle: Croc Creek and Snake Rock.
Teams:
Croc Creek: David Haye, Helen Flanagan, Brian Conley, Charlie Brooks, Linda Robson.
Snake Rock: Nadine Dorries, Colin Baker, Eric Bristow, Hugo Taylor, Ashley Roberts.
JUNGLE RUN
Fresh off the plane, the new batch of celebrities were dealt their first challenge. Dressed in their designer finery, the new jungle campers faced the ultimate race through beach and scrubland.
The celebrities were deposited on two separate locations on a barren, snake and Tic infested, sand covered island off the East coast of Australia as they faced their first task. Having met each other over a fruit cocktail, both teams were unceremoniously given a crate. Each crate contained a pair of walking boots for every celebrity, a GPS system and instructions for their first task. They were to race across the island to find a helicopter which would whisk them back to dry land for one last night of luxury. The losers would have to set up a make shift camp and stay on the island. Visibly shocked at the prospect of their race, the teams set about preparing for the mammoth task ahead and ensure they were the ones with a comfortable bed that night.
Team Snake Rock opted to put Pussy Cat Doll Ashley Roberts in charge and relishing her challenge, she took full control. A bemused Eric said, “It’s not everyday you get a lead in the bush by a blonde.” Hugo muttered, “Ashley is the most positive person you’ve ever met on the planet.”
Struggling to negotiate the tough terrain, MP Nadine said, “It’s tough. It's walking in sand, it's walking up hills.”
Former Dr Who star Colin Baker trailed behind, but undeterred the actor said, “the others have been brilliant helping me along.”
For the Croc Creek team, boxer David Haye took control and set about putting his team through their paces. The sportsman continued to stride through the jungle, whilst his fellow team mates struggled to keep up the pace. An exhausted Helen said, “We’re going quite fast, I’m not really sporty kind of person but am trying my best.”
Actress Linda Robson also struggled to keep up with a determined David, she said “I’m absolutely exhausted! I hope I’m not the one keeping them (the team) back.” But how will the champion boxer fare if the he loses his first challenge? Or will it be the Snake Rock team who find themselves spending their first night under the stars? Viewers will be able to find out who wins on tonight’s show.
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Each team nominated a camper who would undertake their first head to head Bushtucker Trial to win food for dinner that night. Boxer David was nominated by his team and Hugo represented Snake Rock.
The Trial was called Special Delivery. Each celebrity entered a large packing crate which was hoisted 100 foot into the air. As they hovered above the jungle canopy, the sides and bottoms dropped off so the celebrities were each left dangling in a perspex box. On the side of each box were holes and in each hole was a key. The celebrities had to retrieve each key to unlock access to a large button, which when pressed indicated the winner of the Trial. This being I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! each key was guarded by jungle critters.
"I am never putting myself forward for anything like this ever again" complained Hugo whilst David joked "I hope you know I'm allergic to cockroaches by the way. Didn't I put that on my form?!"
Both celebrities put their hands in holes containing critters including cockroaches and rats as well as being covered in maggots and more cockroaches in an attempt to win the Trial and food for their team mates.
HELEN’S HIGH WIRE HELL
Actress Helen Flanagan broke down in tears as she attempted to face her fear of heights, on a high wire.
I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! is notorious for its difficult entrances into the jungle and this year was no different as the Croc Creek team members had to walk across a high wire strung across the jungle canopy.
The actress, who admitted to having a dislike of heights, found herself high above the rainforest perching precariously on the narrow wire, which she had to cross to the other side and into camp.
A tearful Helen was joined by the rest of the Croc Camp team. An undeterred Brian Conley walked straight across, whilst Linda Robson fell off the wire and dangled high above the jungle. But a tear stained Helen, embraced her fears and took tentative steps across to the other side.
SINK OR SWIM FOR SNAKE ROCK
The Snake Rock team (minus Hugo who was on his way to the Bushtucker Trial) found a boat and some instructions by the edge of a lake. Ashley read "Use this boat to navigate across the lake. You will need to work as a team because you have 45 minutes to reach the far side. Failure to reach your destination will have immediate repercussions." Ashley, Nadine, Eric and Colin launched the small rowing boat into the water as Nadine took charge.
She explained "I think we need to approach this task strategically and with a little bit of efficiency and organisation. And so what I'm going to try and do is get good weight distribution in the boat and that we cox the row out so that we do it properly and we can try and do it with a bit of speed and efficiency and get to the other side in 45 minutes because I don't know what that would do for our morale if we didn't complete this in 45 minutes."
She acted as cox in the boat instructing her fellow team mates to row in rhythm. The boat floundered and spun around in circles but eventually the four worked as a team and the boat started moving in the right direction. But the camp mates had wasted too much time early on and the boat started to sink, depositing its occupants in the cold water before it was completely submerged.
The four camp mates emerged from the freezing water, cold and bedraggled, a far cry from their regular lifestyles.
"We're very proud of ourselves. We did as well as we could but we did quite well" said Colin.
Nadine added "I knew it was important to have a strategy and be co-ordinated and tight. I didn't lose my rag but I think I was direct in what I expected other people to be doing."
I'M A CELEBRITY . . . GET ME OUT OF HERE! TONIGHT AT 9PM, ITV1