Boy George Joins the Cast of the Upcoming Series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and secures the highest fee in the history of the show.
The 61-year-old singer is set to fly to Australia in November to join the jungle camp after pledging nearly $1million to secure the booking.
An ITV source told MailOnline: “It’s beyond exciting that we’ve secured Boy George.
Big win: Boy George, 61, will join the cast of the upcoming series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! join and secure the highest fee in the history of the show
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a major world star film the show and he will no doubt draw viewers in.
“He’s also very popular in Australia and with the show leaving Wales and going back down under he’s the perfect match.
“Shooting is currently scheduled to begin in November outside of Murwillumbah.
Big bucks: The singer, who rose to fame as the lead singer of Culture Club in the 1980s, has secured a fee of nearly $1million to appear on the ITV show (pictured in 1984)
“He also received the largest paycheck in the show’s history – nearly $1 million.
“We know it’s a huge coup to land Boy George and we can’t wait for filming to begin.
“He is doing well at the moment, he will be performing with Culture Club at the legendary Austin City Limits in the coming weeks.
Conditions: The star told the show’s hosts Ant McPartlin, 46, and Declan Donnelly, 47, in April that he would consider performing if bosses made the show vegan (Ant and Dec are on the show in 2020 pictured).
“He is a national treasure and we have no doubt that viewers will rate him as king of the jungle.”
MailOnline has reached out to Boy George’s rep for comment.
In April this year, the Culture Club star said he’d love to appear on the reality show – as long as the bosses meet one condition.
Born to perform: George, whose full name is George Alan O’Dowd, would avoid many of the show’s food challenges, which involve consuming jungle delicacies, if his vegan desires were granted (George, left, pictured with Culture Club in 1983. LR George, Jon Moss, Mikey Craig and Roy Hay)
During an appearance on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, he joked to show I’m A Celeb hosts Ant McPartlin, 46, and Declan Donnelly, 47, that chefs needed to meet his dietary requirements.
He joked, “Unless you do a vegan version, and then I’m in.”
The reality show returns to the Australian jungle for the first time in three years after being held at Gwrych Castle in North Wales due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.
Returning home: The reality show returns to the Australian jungle for the first time in three years after being held at Gwrych Castle in North Wales due to Covid travel restrictions
The jungle camp setting is bigger and better than before, with Wild West-themed challenges and the return of the iconic interview hut.
Hastily erected Wild West buildings on the site are surrounded by tall trees and endless greenery.
Ropes are attached to multiple trees above a pool filled with dirty water – a challenge sure to get celebs’ adrenaline pumping.
In the middle of the green there is also the famous red hut, where celebrities take part in exit interviews and do the legendary walk-out.
ITV confirmed I’m A Celebrity will finally return to its usual home in the Australian jungle this autumn for the latest episode of the long-running show.
Comeback: Carol Vorderman (left) and Helen Flanagan are reportedly set to appear in the upcoming ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! spin off
Ant and Dec will welcome 12 new famous faces to the Australian camp in November.
In a statement, ITV said: “Autumn also brings I’m A Celebrity, making a welcome return to ITV from the Australian jungle.”
In the 2021 series, Danny Miller was crowned King of the Castle, while the year before, Giovanna Fletcher became the first person to win the Welsh version of the show.
It comes after a host of former show stars returned from South Africa this week after reportedly filming for spin-off series I’m A Celebrities All Stars.
Carol Vorderman, Helen Flanagan, Paul Burrell and Fatima Whitbread were spotted arriving at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday.
Fame game: Other stars reportedly appearing include former You Are What You Eat star Gillian McKeith, 62 (right), and Happy Mondays band member Shaun Ryder, 59 (left) (both pictured on the show in 2010)
Georgia Toffolo and Myleene Klass are also among the famous faces to appear on the show.
They will reportedly be joined by Joe Swash, Gillian McKeith, Phil Tufnell, Amir Khan, Jordan Banjo, Andrew Whyment, Dean Gaffney and Shaun Ryder, with Janice Dickinson completing the line-up.
Set to hit TV screens in 2023, the new spin-off series will once again pit fan favorites against each other in the jungle.
According to The Sun, viewers will see a group of 15 soap stars, reality TV personalities and sports icons enter the camp.
A source told the publication: “It’s a different format to Australia, who knows when and where celebrities will be entering camp, literally anything could happen.
“It’s not clear how many will start in camp or how many will end up there when one is crowned king or queen of the jungle, possibly for a second time.
“It’s literally the best of I’m a Celebrity, but there are quite a few twists and turns and surprises along the way for viewers and campers, so it won’t be as easy as you might think.”
MailOnline has reached out to a representative from ITV for comment.
Earlier this week, Ant and Dec wrote on Twitter: “South Africaaaaaaa! That’s right, we’re filming a very special version of I’m A Celebrity in South Africa, coming to your TVs in 2023.”
Describing it as “TV’s worst kept secret,” Dec continues, “We can confirm that we’re doing a very special series of ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ In South Africa!
“It will be your favorite stars from the last 20 years coming back to do it once more.”
Excited: Ant and Dec tweeted this week: “South Africaaaaaaa! That’s right, we’re filming a very special version of ‘I’m A Celebrity’ in South Africa coming to your TVs in 2023.
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