I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here 2023 Launch | Live Blog - weather, last minute odds and commentary

Good evening and welcome to NationalWorld's live coverage of the first episode of this year's 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.'

Alongside sharing information we've collated over the weeks regarding this year's contest, we'll also be providing some commentary from this evening's show, taking place on ITV1 and ITVX from 9pm.

So while 'The Masked Singer: I'm A Celebrity Special' finishers (and I find out who 'Dunny' is,) let's get ready for the new series of 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here'

... and what's it like for Any and Dec this morning in Murwillumbah, the location the jungle is closest to in New South Wales, Australia?

Well, the forecast reads "Cloudy. High chance of rain, most likely during this afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then becoming light in the late afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures in the low to mid 20s."

There is also 80% change of rain, according to Australia's Bureau of Metrology.

While we wait for 'I'm A Celeb' to start, who was the runner-up in 'The Masked Singer?'

It turned out it was Mylene Klass!

In 2006, Klass was runner-up on the sixth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, and returned in 2023 for the "all-stars" series I'm a Celebrity... South Africa, which she won

While we wait to see which contestant this year will end up undertaking the bulk of the Bushtucker Trials this year, Natalie Dixon had a look at the celebrity who has performed the most trials in the history of the show.

You can read her article while we wait ten more minutes before 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here' begins here.

Joe Pasquale! If you had 'Where is Joe Pasquale' on your 2023 bingo card, you can check it off now, as he wins 'The Masked Singer: I'm A Celeb Special.'

Pasquale was crowned King of the Jungle on the fourth series of 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.'

The moment is upon us - off to Australia in a matter of moments...

For those looking to have a flutter this evening, Oddschecker has the following odds for this year's winner:

So Nigel is considered one of the favourites... stranger things have happened we guess.

Those odds seem interesting, given that there was talk of a boycott of the show after the announcement of Nigel Farage. Maybe Matt Hancock was onto something using reality TV to gather political capital.

Every night I have nightmares about it, Fred said. I would have nightmares about it too...

Grace Dent says I feel sick to my absolute stomach - I don't blame you grace.

It's 7:03am in Australia, and the familiar theme music arrives on our screens after Dec screams 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!.' The new season is here and it's a comforting, familiar feeling again.

Navy ensembles for both Ant & Dec, are not exactly exciting or fashion-revolutionary. Dull, dull, dull

Ant and Dec taking a stab at Nigel Farage as he appears on the screen, apologising to his fans who watch his show on GB News. The joke involved apologies to two people. Not quite Private Eye, but still witty.

By the way, it turns out Nigel Farage is exempt from some trials - why? Find out here.

We get out first profile of a contestant - Josie Gibson.

Natalie Dixon did a fantastic job covering the contestants this year, including a piece on Josie Gibson if you're not familiar with her.

Josie Gibson is stuck with Nigel Farage, who is keeping upbeat and very stiff upper lip about the matter. Dodging some trials will put a pep in your step, I bet.

Where do we start with the Nigel Farage coverage? Probably with Natalie Dixon's profile piece before anything else

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and the arrival of Nella makes three. As the preview stated earlier, their first task is to actually arrive to the campgrounds. They have keys and a map which will give them all the information that they need.

Who is Nella Rose? She's apparently a social influencer, according to Natalie Dixon's profile piece.

Nigel Farage, Nella and Josie are the key to success!!

Benjii: A fan of the trio already?

Mmm, not sure yet. Sam Thompson like an overgrown child!!. Always so excited. But I am a fan of his

Apart from being a favourite of Marina's, who is Sam Thompson? Guess who's here to help again.

Get to know more about Sam Thompson.

Another early task for the contestants who aren't stuck travelling in a vehicle trying to make their way to camp. It looks awfully comfy in that helicopter. Turns out it was just a means to relax them before revealing they're about to abseil down a building.

Sam Thompson is becoming my favourite already with is super exuberance. But let's see how he is after a few days in a damp jungle.