I'm a Celebrity... South Africa 2026 release date is finally confirmed with returning favourites

I'm a Celebrity South Africa is returning for a second outing on ITV, as an all-star cast battle it out to be crowned the ultimate legend.

Pre-recorded last year, a group of famous faces dared to re-enter the jungle as they navigated camp life and took part in a series of gruelling trials.

Audiences will be able to tune into all the action on Monday 6 April at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Episodes will air weeknights at the same time, unless otherwise stated.

This season's cohort is quite the mix, including some who won on their original series. Heading into the jungle hoping to leave triumphant are Adam Thomas, Ashley Roberts, Scarlett Moffatt, David Haye, Beverley Callard, Seann Walsh, Sinitta, Sir Mo Farah, Gemma Collins, Craig Charles, Jimmy Bullard and Harry Redknapp.

And a twist lies ahead for audiences this year, as the public will get to decide who is crowned the ultimate legend 2026. After weeks of watching the celebrities, viewers will be able to cast the final vote in a live grand final broadcast directly from London.

Discussing the format shake-up with former winner Sam Thompson, Ant & Dec said: "It's going to be here in the UK, live on the television.

"We’re going to get all the cast back, we’ll have the finalists in the studio. It’ll be a live vote like we do in Australia and the public will decide their legend."
But even though the final will be held in London, that doesn't mean the celebrities didn't get their fair share of tough challenges, with this year's trials said to be particularly difficult.
"Myleene Klass won it in South Africa last time, doing the best final head to head, Bushtucker trial thing we've ever seen. So we thought we want to leave it up to the public, but to get to that point, to be a finalist, we've made it tougher than ever," Dec confirmed.

I'm a Celebrity... South Africa returns on Monday 6 April at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Add I'm a Celebrity... South Africa to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.