It’s hard to believe that I’m A Celeb launched way back in 2002.
And for 19 years, the ITV show has brought drama, romance, and some truly iconic TV moments to screens.
Fronted by Ant and Dec, the Geordie duo have welcomed a slew of legendary celebs into the Aussie jungle to rough it up. We’re talking Katie Price, Caitlyn Jenner, and Harry Redknapp. But what about the first-ever series of the show?
Who was the first ever celeb to get the boot from the famous camp? And what’s happened to the cast of that year? Keep reading to find out…
I’m A Celeb: Tony Blackburn
Radio presenter Tony Blackburn was crowned the champ of the first-ever series. Viewers probably knew him best for his stint on BBC Radio 1, which lasted for 17 years.
He bagged 55% of the public vote and when finding out he had won, he exclaimed: “Oh, I’m so delighted! That’s so unexpected.”
In 2016, he took over Sounds of the 60s on Radio 2 from Brian Matthew. In 2021, he sadly lost his sister Jackie to Covid.
He recently revealed that he was hospitalised easier this year. The BBC Radio 2 DJ had to stand down from his show and reschedule his Sound of the 60s Tour.
Tara Claire Palmer-Tomkinson
Tara Claire Palmer-Tomkinson was the runner-up of the series and her stint on the show paid off for her. She was also known for being a socialite and wrote about her party-girl antics in The Sunday Times.
Aside from her party lifestyle, Tara had royal connections, with King Charles being her godfather. She was a guest at his wedding to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and was in attendance at Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s. She was often papped on ski holidays with Charles and the boys.
Sadly, in 2016 she was diagnosed with a prolactinoma, a benign tumour (adenoma) of the pituitary gland. The following year, Tara was found dead at her home in London on February 8, 2017. She was 45 years old.
I’m A Celeb: Christine Hamilton
Christine Hamilton finished in third place on I’m A Celeb. Prior to her jungle stint, she was best known for her marriage to former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton.
In 2018, she made headlines after she made a vile comment that compared burkas to the white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan. As a result, she found herself axed as a charity ambassador by Muscular Dystrophy UK and Balls to Cancer.
She now makes regular appearances on GB News.
Nell McAndrew
Nell McAndrew survived until day 13 in the camp. After her jungle journey came to an end, the former Page 3 girl moved to telly and hosted The Big Breakfast.
She has also gone on to appear in several other reality shows, including ITV’s smash hit show Dancing On Ice.
Nell has turned her hand to sports too, competing in several championship marathons over the years.
Rhona Cameron
Scottish comedian Rhona Cameron finished in fifth place on I’m A Celeb.
Since her time on the show, she has gone on to appear on Celeb Wife Swap with partner Suran Dickson. Rhona also bagged herself a job as the narrator for the Channel 4 series Find It, Fix It, Flog It.
Away from the spotlight, Rhona had a relationship with former Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins.
Aside from her telly work, she has also published two books – an autobiography and a novel.
Darren Day
Actor Darren Day had a short but sweet stint on the original jungle series and was the third celeb to get the boot.
With a career spanning both TV and stage, Darren has gone on star in musicals like We Will Rock You, Dick Whittington and Misery. He’s also had roles in TV shows like Holby City and Ruth Jones’ Stella.
In 2010, he made his soap debut playing bad boy Danny Houston in Hollyoaks. And in 2016, he released his first musical album, This Is The Moment, which contained covers of his favourite musical theatre songs.
In 2016, he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house, finishing in third place.
Nigel Benn
Boxer Nigel became the second celeb to leave the camp – lasting just ten days.
Since leaving the show, he entered the prestigious World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Hall of Fame and has dedicated his life to charity work.
He’s also swapped the UK for Aus, as he moved over there with his family. Nigel still continues to box too, but via training and teaching amateur and professional boxers.
In 2019, he was set for a boxing comeback but had to pull out of a fight due to a shoulder injury.
I’m A Celeb: Uri Geller
Magician, physic, and paranormalist Uri Geller did not last long in the jungle and was the first ever star to get the boot from the iconic camp.
Prior to his jungle fame, he was best known for his TV appearances where he performed psychokinesis, dowsing, and telepathy.
Since leaving the jungle, he’s fronted several paranormal TV shows, including The Next Uri Geller, Uri’s Haunted Cities, and Cursed.
Read more: I’m A Celebrity star Grace Dent quits the show on ‘medical grounds’
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