As Ant and Dec prepare to return to their jungle treehouse and the infamous Bushtucker Trials await another batch of celebrities, excitement builds for the upcoming 2025 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! While the new lineup remains under wraps, we're taking a nostalgic journey through two decades of jungle royalty.
The Complete Jungle Hall of Fame
Tony Blackburn made television history in 2002 as the very first King of the Jungle. The radio DJ, then 61, triumphed over Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Christine Hamilton, with the inaugural series attracting an average of 7.58 million viewers.
Former cricketer Phil Tufnell claimed victory in 2003, becoming the first contestant to receive an actual crown rather than just champagne. His win marked the end of summer broadcasts and 15-day series formats.
The following year saw Kerry Katona crowned as the first Queen of the Jungle in January 2004, with the show reaching its initial popularity peak. The finale attracted a massive 14.9 million viewers, while the nation watched Katie Price and Peter Andre's jungle romance blossom.
Memorable Moments and Record Breakers
Comedian Joe Pasquale began the annual November tradition in 2004, winning during a season notorious for particularly difficult Bushtucker Trials that left celebrities hungrier than ever before.
One of the most surprising victories came in 2005 when Carol Thatcher, daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, won over the public despite initial expectations of an early exit.
The McFly-Busted connection proved strong with Matt Willis winning in 2006, while 2007 saw Christopher Biggins dominate with an impressive 81% star success rate in trials.
EastEnders star Joe Swash swept to victory in 2008, beginning a long association with the show that would see him host Extra Camp for nearly a decade.
Modern Jungle Royalty
TV chef Gino D'Acampo took the crown in 2009, immediately establishing himself as camp cook, while Stacey Solomon became Queen in 2010 during what many consider the show's second golden era.
The McFly connection continued with Dougie Poynter winning in 2011, followed by EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks in 2012, who won by just 1.12% of the vote.
Westlife's Kian Egan triumphed in 2013, while motorbike racer Carl Fogarty achieved a perfect 100% success rate in his Bushtucker Trials during his 2014 victory.
More recent years have seen Vicky Pattison (2015), Scarlett Moffatt (2016), and Georgia Toffolo (2017) claim the crown, with football manager Harry Redknapp winning in 2018 during Ant's year-long break from television.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought significant changes, with Giovanna Fletcher becoming Queen of the Castle in Wales during 2020, followed by Danny Miller in 2021.
The return to Australia in 2022 saw footballer Jill Scott crowned Queen, while Sam Thompson won the 2023 series. Most recently, Danny Jones became the latest King of the Jungle in 2024, marking the fourth McFly-connected champion in the show's history.
Viewing Figures Through the Years
The popularity of I'm a Celebrity has seen significant fluctuations over two decades. The show reached its initial peak in 2004 with Kerry Katona's victory attracting 14.9 million viewers for the finale.
After dipping to just 7.34 million in 2007, ratings recovered strongly, hitting another high during Harry Redknapp's 2018 win with an average of 12.18 million viewers across the series.
The pandemic-era Welsh series in 2021 saw numbers drop to 7.61 million, but the return to Australia helped recovery, with 2022 attracting 10.94 million viewers on average.
As we await the 2025 series beginning November 16th, the jungle awaits its next monarch to join this prestigious list of entertainment royalty.
