Benn

Sport and reality show fans have different reasons to take not of the rumoured line up for I’m A Celebrity…. Get Me Out Of Here! 2025 as a major sporting event may be affected by plans

Boxing star Conor Benn is reportedly being lined up to star in the upcoming season of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! despite having fights planned incredibly close to the expected air date.

Long-time fans of I’m A Celeb will be used to watching stars parachute into the Australian jungle every November. This year will see the 25th season of the long-running show air on ITV – and an early November start date is anticipated.

One of the names linked to the upcoming series is 29-year-old boxer Conor, who is the son of former two-division world champion boxer Nigel Benn. Fans might be surprised to see his name tied to the series, as he is due to fight Chris Eubank Jr on November 15 for a hotly anticipated rematch.

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A source told The Sun: “The logistics are a challenge given how close the match is to the start of the jungle, but ITV and Conor are keen to make this happen if they can.” The Mirror has approached representatives of Conor and I’m A Celebrity for comment.

A string of other stars have been tipped to appear in the new season of the show, with EastEnders star Shona McGarty, Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, and comedian Ruby Wax among those thought to have signed up for gruelling tasks and infamous trials.

I’m A Celeb fans should have even more jungle action to watch in the coming months as a second season of the All Stars version has reportedly wrapped. Filmed in South Africa, the spin-off show sees past contestants return to take part in more tasks.

Gemma Collins, Harry Redknapp, Scarlett Moffatt, and Sir Mo Farah are among the names attached to the upcoming second season. The format of the show has disappointed fans, however, as it airs as a pre-recorded show.

This deprives viewers of the ability to vote for those they want to see take part in trials – and also to vote for a winner. The first All Stars season aired in April 2023 – six months after the filming process ended.

Former Hear’Say singer & presenter Myleene Klass was crowned the winner of the show, triumphing over second-place star Jordan Banjo and third-place star Fatima Whitbread.

ITV confirmed the show would return last month, with host Ant McPartlin saying in a statement: “The campmates really brought their A-game to the first series, so we can’t wait to be back for more trials, challenges and surprises amongst the beautiful South African landscape.”

Co-host Declan Donnelly added: “Having a live final is an exciting addition to the new series with the viewers choosing their IAC Legend and we’ve heard some of the new trials are truly epic, even by I’m A Celeb… standards!”

Meanwhile, Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment, Reality & Daytime Commissioning at ITV, said: “We were blown away by the love for the first series of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa. It was a true celebration of the show’s history, and viewers loved seeing their favourite campmates return to their screens. We can’t wait to do it all again next year with a whole new cohort, and have the audience crown the winner during a live final for the first time.”

And Tom Gould, Director of Entertainment & Formats, Lifted Entertainment, added: “We’re very excited to have some more of the most memorable campmates from previous series returning to take on terrifying trials and face challenging twists and difficult decisions, in the tougher setting of South Africa.

“It will test them to their limits, and with a live final, this time viewers will get to decide who truly deserves the title of I’m A Celebrity Legend”.

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Although that option is viable, it is much more likely Crocker will either face Benn or enjoy another big night in Belfast for a first voluntary defence.

However, much will depend on the outcome of November’s middleweight rematch between Benn and Chris Eubank Jr in terms of when Benn could be ready to return to the ring and drop back to welterweight.

The updated IBF rankings have former light-welterweight champion Liam Paro in the number two position with Donovan, who is understood to be appealing September’s decision at Windsor Park, in third.

A successful outcome for Donovan would most likely see him retain his high ranking and secure a final eliminator against Paro for the mandatory slot.

“Benn is the fight Crocker wants and he is confident he will beat him,” Conlan confirmed.

“That’s all well and good and the numbers are exciting, but you are putting Lewis’ livelihood on hold in hope of what will happen in another fight [Eubank-Benn II] and it doesn’t work like that, so get something booked for Belfast and most likely that’s what will happen next. If they [Matchroom] control the situation with the mandatory, then it can be pushed off and we can do Benn [after a first voluntary].

“There are still a few moving parts to happen, but I think Paro will fight Donovan or Karen Chukhadzhian next.

“Donovan’s team have appealed so his ranking hasn’t moved. That could be good news for ‘Croc’ as his mandatory will be kept on the long finger if Paro is out in the early part of next year. That could give us the opportunity of two voluntaries before we have a mandatory.”

He told BBC Sport: “We signed a two-fight deal, we were ready to go. The date was announced straight after the first fight for September, done a lot of negotiations in terms of venues, dates.

“They had all agreed September 20th, then Eubank came out and said he wasn’t ready.”

Asked if Benn was prepared to wait until the end of the year, Hearn added: “So we have to give them a chance.

“We just appeal to Eubank, if you’re not ready to go back to war with Benn and you’d rather sit at a poker table in Las Vegas, good luck to you. But let us move on.”

“We’re ready to move on, drop down to 147 and get a world title,” said Benn.

The first fight was organised by Ring Magazine, which is owned by Turki Alalshikh, and it was thought the rematch would also fall under the Riyadh Season promotion.

Appearing on Saturday’s broadcast before Oleksandr Usyk’s win over Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, Alalshikh said the Eubank-Benn bout could still happen and suggested January or February as potential alternative dates.

Eubank has not commented on the situation himself, and it is unclear when an official decision will be made.

The 35-year-old was fined £10,000 earlier this month by the British Boxing Board of Control over “misuse of social media” in the build-up to the first contest.