‘Panic’: Robert Irwin’s ‘refusal’ to commit to I’m A Celebrity doomed the show, claims TV insider
Channel 10 were reportedly left scrambling behind the scenes after allegedly failing to persuade Robert Irwin to commit to the network long-term.
Channel 10 was reportedly left scrambling after Robert Irwin “refused to commit” to another season of I’m A Celebrity.
Last week, the network announced that it was laying the once beloved reality competition to rest.
“We have made the decision to rest I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in 2027 as we focus on offering our audience a range of content on all platforms,” a Ten spokesperson said at the time.
“We look forward to working with [current hosts] Julia Morris and Robert Irwin on other projects,” the statement added.
Now, TV insiders have revealed that the train began to come off the tracks after Irwin became reluctant to commit to the show long-term.
“Ten genuinely saw him as the future face of the show and potentially the future face of the network,” a source told Sky News. “When it became clear he wasn’t fully committing long term, that’s when real panic started internally.”
Sources close to the show said that the writing was on the wall when Ten was reportedly discussing over ways to further cut the budget.
The insider insisted that the one behemoth of a TV show “could not survive another round of cuts.”
“Ten has been shaving money off that show year after year. Cheaper challenges, smaller production elements, tighter talent deals,” one source told SkyNews.com.au.
“Recording the series a few months in advance. Eventually you hit a point where there’s nothing left to cut without damaging the actual product on screen.”
I’m A Celeb has been a favourite with viewers as they follow a host of celebrities head into the jungle to face terrifying challenges with the goal of winning $100,000 for their chosen charity.
Last year, Aussie comedian Concetta Caristo was crowned Jungle Queen.
Former NRL star Sam Thaiday, Abbie Chatfield, Casey Donovan and Brendan Fevola are also among the winners of the series from previous years.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, industry site TV Blackbox reported that rival networks were fighting it out to win the rights to air the show.
According to SkyNews.com.au, Channel Nine would likely push for the series to return to a live format if they secured the rights.
“They believe live television creates unpredictability and social media buzz,” explains the insider. “That’s where Nine thinks the franchise could feel fresh again.”
“Nine lives for a cross-promotion,” continued the insider. “They would absolutely stack the cast with recognisable Nine personalities.”
