The all-stars version of the iconic reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! has returned to ITV, but this time, it’s not business as usual. The second series of I'm a Celebrity South Africa promises to take both contestants and viewers on a wild ride, packed with familiar faces, tougher trials, and a twist that shakes up the show’s traditional format. With Ant & Dec at the helm, the beloved duo are steering the action from the lush South African wilderness all the way to a dramatic live finale in London.
Unlike the original Australian series, which has long been a staple of live television with viewers glued to their screens night after night, the South Africa spin-off is pre-recorded. According to Radio Times and Manchester Evening News, filming wrapped up in September 2025, well before the first episode hit the airwaves. The decision to pre-record wasn’t just a logistical quirk; it traces its roots back to the pandemic era, when uncertainty around travel and restrictions led ITV to seek a reliable backup plan for its flagship show. As an ITV insider explained to The Mirror, “This is a brilliant reserve plan in case Covid restrictions come round again in the Autumn and the cast and crew can’t get Down Under, as has happened for the past two years.”
The South African setting—this time, the spectacular Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga—offers a new backdrop for the chaos and camaraderie that fans have come to love. The location, draped in thick tropical forest, is tailor-made for the notorious Bushtucker Trials, which have only grown more extreme. As the show’s synopsis teases: “Campmates have already proved that they can survive the Australian jungle, but this is I’m A Celebrity… on a whole new level, it’s where legends are made. The trials are tougher than ever and with that, so are the stakes.”
So, what does this mean for audience participation? For most of the run, viewers have to sit back and watch as the drama unfolds—no voting for trials or eliminations as in the live Australian version. Instead, the power to eliminate rests with the campmates themselves. After facing relentless twists, turns, and a barrage of challenges, it’s up to the celebrities to decide who stays and who goes. This marks a sharp departure from the usual format, which has always thrived on the tension of public voting and real-time decisions.
But here’s the twist: while the bulk of the series is pre-recorded, the grand finale is set to be broadcast live for the very first time in I'm a Celebrity South Africa history. The live final, scheduled for April 24, 2026, at 9pm, will take place not in the wilds of Africa but in a London studio. All the celebrity contestants will gather in the UK, and, crucially, the public will finally get their say—voting to crown the “ultimate legend” of 2026. As Ant & Dec put it, “We’re going to get all the cast back, and we’ll have the finalists in the studio. It’ll be a live vote like we do in Australia and the public will decide their Legend.”
The move to a live final is a significant shift from the first South Africa series, which aired in 2023 and crowned Myleene Klass as the winner. That season, too, was pre-recorded, with no live voting and no public say in the outcome. This time around, ITV is blending the best of both worlds: the logistical certainty of a pre-recorded series with the immediacy and excitement of a live, interactive finale.
The cast for this all-stars showdown reads like a who’s who of reality TV royalty. Among the 12 returning celebrities are actor and TV presenter Adam Thomas, Heart radio DJ Ashley Roberts, TV personality Scarlett Moffatt, former champion boxer David Haye, Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard, comedian Seann Walsh, pop icon Sinitta, Olympic gold medallist Sir Mo Farah, TV personality Gemma Collins, actor and DJ Craig Charles, ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard, and former football manager Harry Redknapp. These stars have already proved their mettle in the Australian jungle, but South Africa promises to test them in brand new ways.
Episodes air every weeknight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with the series running for three weeks. The action kicked off on Monday, April 6, 2026, as viewers tuned in to watch the celebrities tackle some of the most punishing Bushtucker Trials in the show’s history. ITV’s spokesperson described the series as, “the all-star version of the iconic I’m A Celebrity… format will once again bring together some of the most memorable campmates from series gone by, as they return to test themselves in brand new trials and challenges in the South African wilderness.”
For those who remember the first South African spin-off, the format will feel both familiar and fresh. The original series, filmed in July 2022 and broadcast in April and May 2023, was conceived as a contingency for Covid but proved popular enough to warrant a sequel. While the threat of pandemic disruptions has faded, the pre-recorded approach remains, offering ITV greater flexibility and security in production.
Still, the lack of live voting throughout the series has left some fans yearning for the interactive element that made the show a staple of British television. The anticipation is palpable as the finale approaches, with viewers eager to make their voices heard at last. As co-host Dec Donnelly teased, “Myleene Klass won it in South Africa last time, doing the best final head to head, Bushtucker trial thing we've ever seen. So we thought we want to leave it up to the public, but to get to that point, to be a finalist, we've made it tougher than ever.”
Behind the scenes, the decision to keep the series pre-recorded, despite eased Covid restrictions, reflects ITV’s desire for consistency and control. As an insider told The Mirror, “There is no appetite to go back to Wales. It was great while it lasted but it’s just too dark and damp. Everyone’s had enough, including the viewers.”
With the finale set to be broadcast live from London, there’s a sense that I'm a Celebrity South Africa is charting its own unique course—one that balances the spectacle of live TV with the security of pre-recorded content. For fans, the wait is almost over: soon, they’ll have the power to decide who takes home the coveted “ultimate legend” crown. Until then, all eyes are on the jungle (and the studio), as the drama continues to unfold.
However this season ends, one thing’s for sure: the journey from the wilds of South Africa to the bright lights of London has never been more unpredictable, or more entertaining.