BREAKING NEWSI'm A Celeb stars battle the elements as camp is battered by horrific thunderstorms with more torrential rain to come

GK Barry may have been the first celebrity to face a bushtucker trial last night, but her fellow campmates are facing a trial of their own as they battle the elements Down Under.

A horrific thunder and lightening storm accompanied by heavy rainfall has hit the Jungle in what will be the first bad spell of weather faced by the celebrities as they sleep rough beneath the trees.

Wagatha Christie’s Coleen Rooney, 39, the former X-Factor judge, Tulisa Contostavlos, 36, and former champion boxer, Barry McGuigan, 63, are currently trying to sleep in torrential rain with the storm due to end at 4am (AEDT)

It comes after extreme weather warnings and freak storms were issued last week and were predicted to cause chaos on this year’s show.

ITV insiders revealed concerns ahead of last night’s launch show that the relentless rain would ‘dampen and ultimately ruin’ the series.

GK Barry may have been the first celebrity to face a bushtucker trial, but her fellow campmates are facing a trial of their own as they battle the elements Down Under (Oti Mabuse pictureD)

A horrific thunder and lightening storm accompanied by heavy rainfall has hit the Jungle in what will be the first bad spell of weather faced by the celebrities as they sleep rough beneath the trees (stock image)

The campmates are currently trying to sleep in torrential rain with the storm due to end at 4am (AEDT) (GK Barry pictured)

Despite sunny weather over the weekend, the wet weather is forecast to continue to ravage Australia’s Gold Coast.

During a bout of heavy rainfall, a source close to the show last week told MailOnline: ‘If the celebrities were in there right now, they would be drowning.

‘That jungle camp cannot cope with this level of rain, everyone keeps checking the weather and it’s really not looking good for this series.

‘And the thing is, when it rains like this it’s not fun for anyone involved. It dampens the mood and ultimately ruins the show.’

Continuous rainfall takes a toll on the campmates’ morale, as last year’s food critic Grace Dent, 51, and Britney Spears’s sister, Jamie-Lynn, both left the show early.

It was later revealed Ms Spears left after the campmates were forced to spend hours hiding in the cramped Bush Telegraph hut from the severe wet weather.

If the current conditions continue it’s likely the celebrities could be evacuated as a safety precaution as seen in previous years.

In 2019, when Jacqueline Jossa won the series and Catlin Jenner was a contestant, the camp had to be evacuated due to similar ‘torrential rain and storms’ and part of the show was cancelled.

ITV insiders revealed concerns ahead of last night’s launch show that the relentless rain would ‘dampen and ultimately ruin’ the series (Coleen Rooney pictured)

Despite sunny weather over the weekend, the wet weather is forecast to continue to ravage Australia’s Gold Coast (rain battering camp during 2019 series)

Wet weather conditions are so awful last week that the flight carrying McFly’s Danny Jones and the reigning King of the Jungle, Sam Thompson, was forced to circle Brisbane Airport for an hour due to the runway being flooded (Brisbane, Australia)

Similarly, in 2015, evacuations were called for because storms cut the camp’s power and the cameras were out of action.

The figures are in as the I’m A Celebrity launch on Sunday, which netted 7.7 million viewers, was beaten by Strictly Come Dancing’s results show in Blackpool, which saw 8.1 million tune in on the same night.

It will come as a blow to ITV bosses who are reportedly desperate to beat the BBC flagship show in ratings.

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE I’m A Celebrity vows to beat scandal-plagued Strictly in the ratings as the first numbers are revealed – while bosses pin their hopes on fan favourite GK Barry to draw in young viewers

Despite not winning viewing figures on Sunday night, ITV will undoubtedly be pleased that its launch show received one million more viewers than Strictly’s first live show in September which garnered 6.7million.

An ITV insider told The Mail: ‘All they care about is beating Strictly this year. That’s their number one goal. If they do that, they’ll be happy. And, of course, getting more viewers than last year, but that’s been the same every time.’

Last year, seven million people tuned into I’m A Celeb’s opening show which saw the Reform politician, Nigel Farage, make his entry into the Jungle by wading through gunk.

But ITV bosses no doubt be pleased that 700,000 more fans watched Sunday night’s show, drawn in by the star power of Wagatha Christie’s Coleen Rooney and the Gen Z TikTok star, GK Barry.

The source continued: ‘GK Barry is considered this year’s secret weapon, there’s hope all around that she will bring in a whole new younger audience for the show and hike up the viewing figures.’

Meanwhile, Strictly’s first live show in September saw its ratings plummet as the BBC show recorded a loss of one million viewers, a drop from 7.3million in last year to just 6.7million this year.

I’M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP

OTI MABUSE

Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt

AGE: 34

OCCUPATION: Professional dancer

FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020.

DANNY JONES

Danny Jones is one of the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s I’m A Celeb

AGE: 38

OCCUPATION: McFly singer

FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly.

He is also a coach on The Voice UK.

BARRY MCGUIGAN

Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle

AGE: 63

OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer

FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight тιтles from 1985 to 1986.

GK BARRY

GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women

AGE: 25

OCCUPATION: TikTok star

FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel.

DEAN MCCULLOUGH

ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp

AGE: 32

OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ

FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I’m A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views.

Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.

JANE MOORE

Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women

AGE: 62

OCCUPATION: Journalist

FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.

She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.

Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow.

MELVIN ODOOM

Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021

AGE: 44

OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter

FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.

He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.

COLEEN ROONEY

Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history

AGE: 38

OCCUPATION: WAG

FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.

Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history, exceeding Nigel Farage’s £1.5million from last year.

ALAN HALSALL

Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street

AGE: 42

OCCUPATION: Actor

FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I’m A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.

Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap.

TULISA