It gave Peter Andre a second shot at fame, Janice Dickinson the chance to prove there was a mind behind the trout pout and Myleene Klass a dubious male following and a series of enormous endorsement deals. Now, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is to return the spotlight to former tennis great Martina Navratilova, Blue singer turned mediocre-selling solo artist Simon Webbe and Star Trek actor George Takei.

The onetime superstars are heading into the Australian jungle to face camping, creepy-crawlies and celebrity tantrums for the new series of the ITV1 reality show, which begins this Sunday.

The obligatory contingent of models includes WAG Carly Zucker and page three girl Nicola McLean, while a dose of credibility comes courtesy of charity campaigner and journalist Esther Rantzen, politician and television presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk and former Deputy Assistant for the Metropolitan Police Brian Paddick.

Onetime EastEnders actor Joe Swash and TV presenter Dani Behr are also appearing on the high-rating programme, presented by Ant and Dec.

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Having previously served up a bath of cockroaches, a bug banquet and a coffin full of rats, executive producer Richard Cowles promised to top it all: “We have a magnificent cast of celebrities in place but their trip to the jungle promises to be anything but a walk in the park. Each year, in a bid to test the celebrities, we develop new ways of pushing the boundaries and this series will push them further than ever before. We have bundles of surprises up our sleeves and some of the most gruelling Bushtucker Trials ever seen.”

But, as the contestants left the UK for Australia, they expressed fears greater than insects and rodents. Rantzen said: “I have to face the worst, the result might be abject humiliation, the end of a career…I might be provoking a terrible response from those near and dear to me, who will never again be able to look me in the eyes because they’ll so want to say I told you so.”

Zucker, engaged to England and Chelsea footballer Joe Cole, was more optimistic, saying she hoped to change the public perception’s of her. “I’m a dare devil and I’m very sociable and very social. I think at the moment the public’s perception of me is quite moody and quite sporty as well.”

The 18-times Grand Slam champion Navratilova was calmer but that could be less to do with her experience in facing tough opponents and more to do with her confession that she has never seen an episode of the show.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is on at 9pm, Sunday on ITV1

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