Get ready for fireworks in the jungle! As the latest season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! kicks off, stunning model and actress Kelly Brook is plunging into the wild Australian outback, facing creepy crawlies, grueling challenges, and a reunion that’s been brewing for over a decade. But this isn’t just any celebrity showdown—Kelly’s about to come face-to-face with the show’s iconic hosts, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (better known as Ant and Dec), the dynamic duo she’s accused of having serious “unfinished business” with.
For those new to the drama, Ant and Dec have been the heartbeat of I’m a Celeb since its debut in 2002, charming audiences with their witty banter and cheeky antics. They’re no strangers to the spotlight, also fronting the smash-hit Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), where they deliver backstage scoops while judges like Simon Cowell critique the acts. And that’s exactly where Kelly’s beef with the pair began—way back in 2009, when she was tapped as a guest judge on BGT for what turned out to be an epically short-lived gig.
Kelly’s stint on the panel lasted just a few days before she was abruptly shown the door. At the time, Simon Cowell chalked it up to format issues, explaining that having four judges created awkward ties during buzz-through decisions. But Kelly tells a different story, one laced with backstage intrigue and bruised egos. In explosive comments reported by The Sun, she claimed ITV insiders whispered that she’d ruffled feathers—specifically those of Ant and Dec. “The people at ITV were telling me that I had upset Ant and Dec and that was it,” Kelly revealed. “I would love to have stayed on the show. I really felt it was working out. Ant and Dec had never been anything but pleasant to my face, but clearly, they didn’t want me on the show.”
She didn’t hold back, adding fuel to the fire: “Their egos are such that they were saying to themselves: ‘How dare she think she can come on to our show?’, and since then they’ve been very vocal about their displeasure at me being there.” Ouch! It’s the kind of celebrity clash that could make even the toughest Bushtucker Trial look tame.
Ant and Dec, for their part, addressed the saga in their 2009 memoir Ooh! What a Lovely Pair: Our Story. Dec recounted Kelly’s first day on set, painting a picture of a nervous newbie: “Kelly looked nervous, so I told her it was going to be great fun and to just relax and enjoy it. She nodded, then looked at me and said, ‘And what do you do on the show?’ I looked at Simon, who was sitting next to me. He turned to Kelly and said, ‘Kelly, you have seen the show, haven’t you?’ To which she replied, ‘Yeah… well, bits’.”
Dec couldn’t resist a cheeky comparison: “I don’t want to sound like an egomaniac, but the last person who said, ‘And what do you do?’ was the Queen when I met her at the party for ITV’s fiftieth anniversary.” The duo insisted the decision wasn’t personal—simply that the four-judge setup “didn’t work.” But with Kelly’s pointed accusations lingering in the air, fans are buzzing about potential awkward encounters around the campfire.
Now, fast-forward to 2025, and Kelly’s stepping into the I’m a Celeb arena, where Ant and Dec hold court once more. Will old grudges resurface amid the jungle chaos? Or will they bury the hatchet over a shared laugh at a celebrity meltdown? One thing’s for sure: this reunion has all the makings of must-watch TV. Stay tuned—the jungle just got a whole lot juicier!