I’m a Celebrity 2026 Lineup: Wayne Rooney, Joanna Page and the 11 Stars Heading Into the Jungle

ITV has confirmed the full I’m a Celebrity 2026 lineup, with former England captain Wayne Rooney heading a cast of 11 stars who will fly to Australia for the 26th series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The show returns on Monday 16 November 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, hosted once again by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly. Rooney, 41, follows his wife Coleen into the jungle two years after she finished runner-up in the 2024 series, and Paralympian Ade Adepitan will make history as the first wheelchair user to take part.

The announcement, made on Tuesday 10 November 2026, ends weeks of speculation about who would be heading Down Under. ITV’s confirmed cast also includes Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu and Coronation Street actress Claire Sweeney. The campmates have already begun arriving in Australia, with Rooney photographed landing at Brisbane Airport on Monday 9 November after a 21-hour flight.

I’m a Celebrity 2026 — Quick Reference Summary

The 11 Campmates Who Are Heading Into the Jungle

ITV’s official line-up is Wayne Rooney, Joanna Page, Chloe Burrows, Ricky Wilson, Ade Adepitan, AJ Odudu, Claire Sweeney, Sharky, Jack Skipper, Leomie Anderson and Mariella Frostrup. The mix spans football, comedy, music, reality TV and broadcasting, with ages ranging from 26-year-old Love Island star Chloe Burrows to 63-year-old journalist Mariella Frostrup.

Jack Skipper, 30, built his audience through viral stand-up comedy, while Sharky, 26, started as a YouTuber before moving into television and radio. Leomie Anderson, 32, is a model who also founded her own fashion label, and Mariella Frostrup has built a career as a journalist and broadcaster.

Joanna Page, 49, is the only cast member with a direct Gavin & Stacey connection, having played Stacey for almost 20 years. Her arrival follows the BBC sitcom’s final special on Christmas Day last year, and the role has followed her through more than a decade of television.

Ricky Wilson, 48, was due to head into the jungle after fronting a new tour with the Kaiser Chiefs and stepping in as a judge on a music reality show. AJ Odudu, 38, has built a career presenting on Big Brother, while Claire Sweeney, 55, brings soap and stage experience from Coronation Street.

The full line-up and start date are set out in The Sun’s guide to the new series, which also confirms the Monday launch and the nightly 9pm slot.

Wayne Rooney Follows Coleen Into the Jungle

Rooney’s signing carries an obvious family echo. His wife Coleen finished second in the 2024 series, losing the final to McFly star Danny Jones, and Rooney says the couple have been talking about the jungle ever since she came home. Coleen, 40, has openly backed the idea, and Rooney’s decision suggests the family’s jungle story is not finished yet.

The former England captain, who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United, retired from football in 2021. He has since moved into management with Derby County, D.C. United and Birmingham City, and now works as a pundit on Match of the Day.

He is the most high-profile signing of the series, and his presence will raise the stakes for every other campmate. Rooney is a competitor by instinct — a quality that could make him a favourite, or a target, when the trials begin.

Ade Adepitan Makes History as First Wheelchair User in the Camp

Ade Adepitan, 53, will become the first wheelchair user to take part in I’m a Celebrity, and producers have adapted the camp and the trials for his participation. The Paralympic basketball medallist, who contracted polio as a child, has spent his career breaking down barriers in sport and broadcasting.

His casting is the most significant moment in the line-up announcement. The show has run for 24 years without a wheelchair user in the camp, and Adepitan’s arrival marks a genuine first for the programme.

He is not the only campmate with real wilderness experience. Adepitan has trekked 220 miles through the Nicaraguan jungle in a customised wheelchair over four weeks, while Mariella Frostrup has hiked in the foothills of Mount Everest, explored remote parts of South America and married her second husband in the Panama jungle.

Why the Launch Moved to Monday 16 November

The series usually begins on a Sunday night, but this year’s launch has been pushed back by 24 hours because ITV is showing the England v Spain UEFA Nations League match on Sunday 15 November.

The delay also explains why the campmates arrived in Australia a full week early. With the launch on a Monday, the production team has extra days to settle the cast into camp and film the opening sequences. ITV confirmed the start date and the nightly 9pm slot at the same time as the line-up, and Goss.ie reports the full confirmed cast alongside the launch details.

November Belongs to Reality Television

The jungle launch caps a month in which reality television has dominated the UK conversation. The Celebrity Traitors final drew an average overnight audience of 11.2 million viewers on BBC One on Friday 30 October 2026, with Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft sharing an £83,000 charity prize. The full result is covered in our Celebrity Traitors final report.

James Blunt turned his own Traitors exit into an album launch a week later, releasing Airplane Mode on Friday 6 November 2026 and filming promotional videos inside London Luton Airport. His story shows how a reality appearance now feeds directly into a wider career move, and the same logic applies to the jungle cast. For Sharky, Burrows and Skipper, three weeks in camp is a chance to reach viewers who have never watched their channels or heard their stand-up.

For ITV, the stakes are high. The show remains one of the broadcaster’s biggest entertainment properties, and the 2026 cast — led by Rooney — is designed to deliver the ratings that have made the jungle a November fixture.

How the Three Weeks Will Unfold

The format is unchanged. Eleven campmates enter the jungle, face nightly Bushtucker Trials, and are voted out one by one until a winner is crowned in the live final.

Viewers should expect the usual rhythm of camp life: rice and beans, chores, arguments over cooking, and the slow bonding that turns strangers into a team. The trials, meanwhile, will test nerves, appetites and endurance in equal measure.

The winner’s crown has launched careers and revived them in equal measure. For this year’s cast, the jungle offers a rare chance to reach millions of viewers every night — and for Rooney, a chance to step out of Coleen’s shadow and into the spotlight on his own terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does I’m a Celebrity 2026 start?

The 26th series starts on Monday 16 November 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Episodes air every night, with the live final expected in early December.

Who is in the I’m a Celebrity 2026 lineup?

ITV has confirmed 11 campmates: Wayne Rooney, Joanna Page, Chloe Burrows, Ricky Wilson, Ade Adepitan, AJ Odudu, Claire Sweeney, Sharky, Jack Skipper, Leomie Anderson and Mariella Frostrup.

Is Wayne Rooney in I’m a Celebrity 2026?

Yes. Wayne Rooney, 41, is the headline signing, following his wife Coleen, who finished runner-up in the 2024 series. Rooney landed in Brisbane on Monday 9 November after a 21-hour flight from the UK.

Who is the first wheelchair user on I’m a Celebrity?

Paralympian Ade Adepitan, 53, will be the first wheelchair user to take part in the show. Producers have adapted the camp facilities for access.

Who hosts I’m a Celebrity 2026?

Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly return to host the 26th series from the Australian jungle in New South Wales.

Why does I’m a Celebrity 2026 start on a Monday?

The launch was pushed back 24 hours from Sunday 15 November because ITV is broadcasting the UEFA Nations League match between England and Spain.

Myth-Busting: What Is and Isn’t True About the Lineup

Myth: The line-up was confirmed weeks ago. It was not. The Sun reported 12 names, but ITV only officially confirmed the cast on Tuesday 10 November 2026.

Myth: Leigh Francis is in the 2026 jungle. He is not in ITV’s official line-up. He was among the names reported before the announcement, but the official 11 do not include him.

Myth: Wayne Rooney is the first footballer to enter the jungle. He follows a long line of sports stars in the camp, and his wife Coleen finished runner-up in the 2024 series.