Hold onto your seats, folks—because comedy legend Ruby Wax isn’t just storming back onto our screens as a contestant on the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! She’s got a secret weapon: two incredibly talented daughters who’ve quietly carved out their own paths in showbiz, proving that talent runs deep in the family tree. At 72, the American-British icon is joining the star-studded lineup for the ITV hit, kicking off this Sunday from the wilds of Australia. But let’s dive into the real scoop—her “nepo babies” Maddy and Marina, who are stealing the spotlight in ways you might not even realize.
Ruby, the hilarious force behind classics like Girls On Top, shares her three kids—Maddy (35), Marina (32), and son Max—with her husband of over three decades, director Ed Bye. Married since 1988, the couple has nurtured a family that’s bursting with creativity. And trust us, these daughters aren’t riding coattails; they’re building empires of their own.
First up, the dynamic duo’s joint venture: their side-splitting comedy podcast, Siblings Comedy. It’s a laugh-out-loud riot where Maddy and Marina showcase their wit, proving they’ve inherited Mom’s razor-sharp humor. Maddy handles the PR magic behind the scenes, ensuring the pod reaches the masses, while also flexing her skills as a comedy producer at Impatient Productions—an award-winning powerhouse churning out radio, podcasts, live events, and online gems.
But Maddy’s not just behind the camera; she’s stepped into the limelight too. She’s graced screens in shows like Coming Of Age and Pulped: Bad Tech, plus a memorable role in the short film Quiet Life. Talk about versatility!
Then there’s Marina, who’s skyrocketing to stardom with roles that have us all buzzing. She’s cemented her A-list status as Pandora Henry in Prime Video’s gripping series The Girlfriend, sharing the screen with powerhouses like House of the Dragon‘s Olivia Cooke and Hollywood royalty Robin Wright. And that’s not all—Marina’s popped up in blockbuster hits like Wonka, Hulu’s emotional rollercoaster We Were The Lucky Ones, and the highly anticipated Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. If you’ve binge-watched any of these, you’ve already witnessed her star power!
Ruby couldn’t be prouder. Back in 2017, she gushed to The Guardian about her kids’ talents: “Maddy is a comedian and Marina is an actress. Maddy and Marina have just started a comedy show called Siblings. If they weren’t funny I wouldn’t encourage them but they are. When they are all round for dinner they make [brother] Max laugh so much he cries.” It’s clear this family dinner table is a breeding ground for comedy gold.
In a fun twist, Ruby’s jungle adventure coincides with fellow contestant Kelly Brook spilling her deepest fears about the show. The 45-year-old model, who once vowed she’d never join until her hubby Jeremy Parisi changed her mind, confessed on Heart Radio that starvation is her ultimate nightmare. Chatting with co-host Jason King, she admitted, “I think the hunger really gets to you. I’m just not myself when I’m hungry.” Jason couldn’t resist teasing: “You’re like that at five-fifty in the evening – and you can’t just Deliveroo in there!”
Indeed, camp life is no picnic—surviving on meager beans and rice unless you nail those Bushtucker Trials. Ex-contestant James Haskell once called it “starvation,” saying he could barely drag himself out of bed from sheer exhaustion. But Kelly’s fears don’t stop there: she’s terrified of those massive, “unpredictable” spiders that could leap anywhere, and the sheer horror of going without a proper wash. “You don’t know where they’re going to jump around,” she shuddered.
As I’m A Celebrity gears up for another season of thrills, spills, and celebrity drama, all eyes are on Ruby Wax and her powerhouse family. Will her daughters cheer her on from afar? One thing’s for sure—this comedy dynasty is just getting started. Tune in this Sunday—you won’t want to miss it!