I’m A Celebrity 2026: Wayne Rooney in Reported Line-Up as Series Starts 16 November
I’m A Celebrity series 26 starts Monday 16 November at 9pm on ITV1/ITVX. Wayne Rooney is in the reported line-up, but ITV says any names are just speculation.
Highlights
- I’m A Celebrity series 26 premieres Monday 16 November 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with Ant & Dec hosting.
- ITV has NOT officially confirmed the line-up — a spokesperson said any names suggested are just speculation.
- Reported names include Wayne Rooney, Joanna Page, Ade Adepitan, Sharky, Ricky Wilson, Mariella Frostrup, Leomie Anderson, Claire Sweeney and Leigh Francis.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! returns for series 26 on Monday 16 November 2026 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with Ant & Dec back as hosts, according to TV Guide’s 2 November 2026 report, which states the start time and date directly.
First, the crucial caveat. ITV has not officially confirmed the campmates. In a statement quoted by TV Guide, a spokesperson said: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity are just speculation” (TV Guide, 2 Nov 2026). Everything below is therefore a reported line-up, originally reported by The Sun and carried by LADbible and TV Guide — not a confirmed cast list.
The reported line-up
According to LADbible’s 2 November 2026 report, based on The Sun, the reported names include former footballer Wayne Rooney, Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, Paralympian and presenter Ade Adepitan, YouTube star Sharky (Sharmarke Mohamud), Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, broadcaster Mariella Frostrup, model Leomie Anderson, actor Claire Sweeney and comedian Leigh Francis.
Rooney would be following his wife Coleen, who was runner-up in the 2024 series, as both LADbible and TV Guide note (LADbible, 2 Nov 2026). TV Guide describes Adepitan as potentially making history as the show’s first campmate to use a wheelchair, and describes Frostrup as a “prestige signing” in the reporting it cites.
Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson was reportedly supposed to take part but reportedly pulled out. LADbible reported she was “forced to pull out due to her daughters being unwell” in its account of the reporting (LADbible, 2 Nov 2026). That, too, remains reporting rather than an ITV confirmation.
Why the mix would make sense — if it is right
Successful jungle series usually blend sport, comedy, music, soaps and online creators so that different audiences each have someone to root for. This reported list, on paper, does exactly that — a football name for sports fans, a sitcom favourite, a Paralympian, a YouTube creator for younger viewers, and a comedian the hosts themselves have publicly wanted on the show, according to the reports.
Reality and entertainment launches work best when the cast reveal lands close to transmission, much like the surprise moments that drive live-event coverage elsewhere — see our story on Harry Styles’ Harryween surprise for another example of a reveal built for reaction.
Public reaction
Reaction so far is to the reporting itself, not to an official announcement, because ITV’s position remains that suggested names are speculation. That is why this article keeps the word “reported” attached to every name. If ITV publishes a confirmed cast before 16 November, that list — not the rumours — will be the one that counts.
For awards-season and reality-TV context in the same week, readers can also catch up on the Daytime Emmy Awards 2026 winners list.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! starts Monday 16 November at 9pm on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player, according to TV Guide.
