Rio and Kate Ferdinand have reportedly signed up for an I’m A Celebrity: Wild Frontier, a new spin-off of Ant and Dec’s classic reality show which will be filmed in Canada
Rio and Kate Ferdinand have reportedly signed up for an I’m A Celebrity: Wild Frontier(Image: WireImage)
Rio and Kate Ferdinand have reportedly signed up for an I’m A Celebrity: Wild Frontier. The football star, 47, who tied the knot with Kate in 2019, is said to be in the final stages of signing up with bosses of the ITV reality show.
If they have signed up, it means they have become the first married couple to join the show, which is focusing on celebrity pairs. Together, they will have to face their own daredevil challenges and Bushtucker Trials and it will mark England star Rio’s first venture into reality TV.
A source said: “Bosses are overjoyed to have landed the Ferdinands. It’s a real coup for the show. They have brilliant chemistry and are great fun. It will be the first time viewers have really seen Rio away from football chat, too.
Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “ITV are still in talks with some other brilliant names and this show promises to be absolutely spectacular — and a real social media talker.”
Just weeks ago, it was claimed that Westlife star Brian McFadden and Boyzone singer Keith Duffy, who have joined forces in recent years to tour as Boyzlife, had also agreed to appear on the show.
Unlike the Australian series, the spin-off will see celebrities competing in pairs, with friends, relatives and couples taking on Bushtucker-style trials together before facing elimination as a duo.
The show is reportedly due to air in 2027, as part of celebrations marking 25 years of I’m A Celebrity – which first hit screens in August 2002 and saw DJ Tony Blackburn crowned as the first King of the Jungle.
It was thought that the long-time friends had signed lucrative deals to appear in the series, with a source claiming: “Bosses are delighted that Keith and Brian will be taking part, they’ll each bring a lot of fun and mischief to the camp.”
The insider added that producers are excited by the new format, claiming it is expected to get viewers talking as famous duos battle it out together.
Rather than competing individually, contestants will reportedly tackle challenges as pairs, working together to win food and survive eliminations before one winning duo is crowned.
Filming is expected to take place in Canada’s Callaghan Valley, near Whistler Olympic Park, replacing the Australian jungle for the special spin-off series.
The area is known for its rugged wilderness and is home to wildlife including grizzly bears, black bears and mountain lions, providing a dramatically different backdrop for the celebrity survival show.
Brian already has a link to the I’m A Celebrity franchise through his former wife Kerry Katona, who was crowned Queen of the Jungle in 2004. Meanwhile, the main I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! series will continue to be filmed in Australia as normal later this year.