Danielle Harold will enter the I’m A Celebrity camp on Sunday (November 19), but the Lola Pearce-Brown actress won’t be the first EastEnders star in the jungle.
Over the two decades the show has been running there have been a huge number of Walford residents heading into the Aussie jungle.
Danielle will join a long-list of proud EastEnders stars to have taken part in the show’s Bushtucker Trials. Some have lasted barely a day and others have won – but who are they all?
Danniella Westbrook
The first EastEnders star to compete on I’m A Celebrity back in 2003 during the second series, Danniella made history with her appearance on the show. However, life in the jungle was not for the original Sam Mitchell and she quit just nine days in.
Sid Owen
After Danniella, the show took two more years before signing up another star of the BBC soap with Sid Owen. And it’s safe to say the Ricky Butcher star did a lot better. He ended up in the final and finished in third place.
Elaine Lordan
However, Sid’s EastEnders star campmate Elaine did not do so well. The Lynne Slater actress lasted just one day in the jungle. She was removed after collapsing twice.
Dean Gaffney
A year after Sid and Elaine, Dean Gaffney was snapped up by bosses for the sixth series in 2006. And while he did a valiant job, he couldn’t quite beat Sid’s record. The Robbie Jackson star placed fifth. He also returned for the more recent all-stars series.
Marc Bannerman
In 2007, jungle bosses signed Gianni di Marco actor Marc for an appearance. Unfortunately he lasted just nine days and became the first star voted out of the competition.
Joe Swash
Finally a winner! In 2008, Joe Swash became the first former EastEnders star to be crowned the King of the Jungle. Joe played cheeky Micky Miller in the BBC soap before being axed. Winning I’m A Celebrity gave his career a huge boost.
Lucy Benjamin
A year later, Lisa Fowler actress Lucy Benjamin took on the mantle of Walford resident in the jungle. But sadly she was not as successful as Joe. She finished in 11th place in the 2009 series.
Charlie Brooks
Another winner! In 2012, Charlie Brooks became EastEnders’ second I’m A Celebrity winner. The Janine Butcher actress lasted 21 days in the jungle before being crowned its Queen.
Laila Morse
A year later in 2013 Laila Morse entered the jungle. However, the Big Mo star could not replicate Charlie’s success and ended up in 11th place. She was voted off after a respectable 16 days in camp.
Rita Simons
Following the controversial death of her Albert Square character Roxy Mitchell, Rita Simons entered I’m A Celebrity in 2018. However, she finished in eighth place, surviving 17 days in camp.
Jacqueline Jossa
In 2019, Lauren Branning star Jacquline Jossa walked into the I’m A Celebrity camp. Just three weeks later she was crowned Queen of the Jungle, becoming the soap’s third big winner.
Cliff Parisi
That same year Cliff Parisi took part in the jungle camp. However, he wasn’t as successful as Jacqueline. The Minty Peterson star was voted off on day 16 in 10th place.
Shane Richie
In 2020 the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc on television and the show was forced to abandon Australia for the first time ever. Instead it moved to Wales – and had two EastEnders stars in the cast. Shane Richie was the most successful of the pair. The Alfie Moon star narrowly missed out on the final finishing in fourth place.
Jessica Plummer
Walford’s Jessica Plummer signed up for the ITV show after being brutally killed off from the BBC soap. The Chantelle Atkins star finished in seventh place on day 17 in the castle camp.
Adam Woodyatt
In 2021 I’m A Celebrity returned to Wales and it had a veritable soap feast. EastEnders’ longest-serving star Adam Woodyatt signed up to enter the Welsh castle camp. However, the Ian Beale actor failed to win enough votes and was eliminated sixth on day 18.
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