As ITV confirms the much-anticipated line-up for ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! All Stars’ season two, excitement around the South African jungle is already building. But just as fans begin imagining extreme survival and relentless hardship, Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has stepped forward with a more layered take, suggesting the experience may not be as brutally authentic as it appears on screen.
Antony Cotton Reflects On Jungle Experience As All Stars Buzz Builds
With the new All Stars edition set in South Africa, Antony Cotton has revisited his own time in the jungle and shared insights that both reinforce and challenge what audiences believe about the show. Despite being a seasoned television personality, he admitted that the scale and structure of I’m A Celeb still surprised him.
Addressing one of the most common myths, Antony stated that contestants are not secretly fed behind the scenes, even though many viewers assume otherwise. He acknowledged that this belief continues to circulate, but insisted that the deprivation element is very real and not staged for the cameras.
The real shock came only after his jungle journey ended. Antony recalled that after finishing his interview with Ant and Dec, he walked across to another landing and suddenly saw the full extent of the production. What had felt like a remote jungle setting turned out to be located just metres away from a fully operational television set-up.
He revealed that around 700 crew members worked behind the scenes, alongside a catering truck and even a constructed road. These details remained completely hidden during his time in camp. Antony openly said that even after working in television all his life, it still blew his mind that something so large had been built just a few metres away without the contestants realising it.
A Return To The Jungle, But On New Terms
Expanding further, Antony explained how the show heighten the overall experience. One of the most surprising aspects, he shared, was how contestants are transported to Bushtucker Trials. Contrary to what many believe, they are not driven long distances through the jungle.
Instead, Antony revealed that contestants are often driven in circles. It creates a false sense of distance and adds to the confusion. He also said that everything looks completely different in the daytime compared to night, which adds another layer of disorientation.
According to him, this confusion is a big part of why the show works so well. Contestants lose their sense of direction and surroundings, making the experience feel far more intense than it actually is. On the emotional side, Antony reflected on how things change once public voting begins. While contestants know it is coming, he explained that it still feels like a shock when it actually happens. By that point, they have settled into routines and daily chores, so the first eviction disrupts everything.
Looking ahead, Antony did not rule out returning for the All-Star edition. In fact, he said he would absolutely take part, even though he has not yet been approached. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Coronation Street spoilers.