I’m a Celebrity‘s duty of care was under the microscope in 2023 when Grace Dent and Jamie Lynn Spears both quit the ITV reality show early.
The 2024 I’m a Celebrity line-up is looking exciting with stars Coleen Rooney, Maura Higgins and Oti Mabuse tipped to be heading to the jungle — although all names at this point are speculation.
Behind the scenes of the ITV series set deep in the Australian bush, the producers work hard to support the stars taking part on the reality show, but after last year’s much-talked about exits, it begs the question can they do more?
Former I’m a Celebrity 2022 star Scarlette Douglas told Yahoo UK of her experience: “TV bosses will probably just be as aware as possible, because they really are hands on on that show. That’s the one thing I’ll give them, is they’re bloody brilliant with that.”
The A Place in The Sun presenter has shared the guidance the celebrities receive before, during and after the show. This includes on-hand help from psychiatrists, a secret connection to the outside world, one chosen person to keep producers informed on personal lives and more.
Preparing for I’m a Celebrity’s jungle
Before appearing on the show, celebrities must undergo psych testing. Psychological testing has become an important onboarding process for reality shows including Big Brother and Love Island to name a few.
“You don’t want anybody to quit,” Douglas said. “You want everyone to get through the whole experience for themselves but obviously for the show as well. To a certain degree, [quitting] adds to the drama but so much goes into the show. So much goes into getting the celebs over there and making sure they’re OK. Doing psych tests and everything, I don’t think bosses ever want anybody to drop out.”
Once they’re in Australia, the celebrities are kept in isolation to ensure there is some element of surprise when they appear on the reality series. The whole time the TV crew are checking in on the welfare of the stars, according to Douglas.
She said: “We’re isolated in the house before we get into the jungle, and they will come and check on us and make sure we’re OK, or we’ll go for a walk once a day and just to make sure our mental health is clear. And there’s always a psychiatrist on hand if you want to speak to anybody. I’m not really sure what what more they can do.”
The psychiatrists are always available to speak to via a secret telephone. Douglas explained the stars are given a “basic” phone with only two numbers — one for the producer and one for a psychiatrist.
She added: “Before they give you one phone, the most basic phone you’ve ever seen with two numbers: the producer and the psychiatrist. If you ever feel in that week of isolation that you need to speak to anybody you’ve got that phone.”
In the jungle
There is a secret connection to the outside world we don’t see on TV, according to the former campmate. The celebrities get to choose one person to be their point of contact who will relay any important information to the production team, Douglas revealed.
The stars taking part in the show get to hear little snippets from the outside world in the Bush Telegraph.
She explained: “I’m very close with my family, and I speak to my mum and dad probably three or four times a day. What they do is if there’s an important message from here, they pass it on, or every day they will say we checked in with your selected person. So that was one of my brothers.
“They tell you, ‘We’ve checked in with your person. Everything’s fine back home. Is there anything you want to pass back home?’ So at least you’ve always got one little bit of connection a day.”
When she was in the jungle, Douglas’s mum had an eye operation She asked producers to let her know the operation had gone OK. “Because I know my mum was really worried about it,” she said. “I was obviously nervous about it, and I wanted to know that she was fine.”
“If anything serious happens back home, they will call you into the Bush Telegraph,” she added. “With my mum, I remember the day she was having it, and I hadn’t heard anything. I was like, ‘Hi producer, I was going to check if my mum is OK?'”
She added: “I’m panicking and worrying something has happened, and they don’t want to tell me but obviously they have to tell you if it’s something serious. When they did call me in, they said, ‘Your mum’s eye appointment had been postponed but everything is fine. She’s OK’.
“When she did have the operation, they told me it happened, it was fine and she’s OK. I just needed to know that.”
What you do see on the show is where the stars receive the letters from home. “That’s great because you get to hear what’s happening back home,” she said. “If anything major happens they call you in and they let you know anything specific that you want to know about before you’ve gone into the jungle. You can let them know and they will keep you informed.”
Watch I’m a Celebrity’s 2022 campmates get emotional as they receive letters from home
Post-jungle
After the celebrities are evicted or the series comes to an end, the celebrities still have the support of the show.
Douglas said: “The minute you are out you speak to the psychiatrist. Obviously there’s press everywhere. You get into the hotel and everyone’s trying to speak to you about stuff. But the team are always there.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here returns to ITV on 17 November.
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