What types of snakes do they use in I’m a Celebrity? Has anyone been bitten by a snake, are they poisonous

I’m A Celeb returns to our screens for a special all-star series and the star-studded cast are set to once again face a host of trials and tribulations as they adapt to the challenge of living and sleeping in the South African jungle.

The campmates will find the jungle a lot less comfortable than their luxurious homes and the contestants are set to face a number of snakes during their time in the jungle.

Snakes are amongst the scariest animals the campmates will have to contend with and Happy Monday’s star Shaun Ryder even endured the pain of a snake bite during his last jungle appearance in 2010.

But what types of snakes do they use in I’m A Celebrity and do they pose a threat to any of the campmates? Here is everything you need to know.

What types of snakes do they use in I’m A Celeb?

I’m A Celeb is synonymous for having extremely difficult bushtucker trials and over the course of the show many of the the celebrities will have to overcome their fears in order to supply their campmates with food and rewards.

Over the course of these challenges the celebrities often come face to face with a wide range of wildlife including snakes.

The bushtucker trials in the series often feature a series of non venomous snakes such as carpet pythons, tree snakes and keel blacks. The themes can often involve the celebrities being placed in extremely tight spaces or overcoming various insects and creepy crawlies.

Has anyone ever been bitten by a snake?

All-star contestant Shaun Ryder won the hearts of fans around the world for his bravery in the bushtucker trials and he eventually finished as runner-up behind Stacey Solomon in 2010.

Ryder was bitten by a young Australian carpet python during his last appearance on the show ahead of the first public vote off. Ex MP Lembit Obik was also bitten by a snake during the same challenge on the programme.

After the trial Ryder described his experience and said: “All right. It’s a bite, a snake bite. If that weren’t someone’s animal I would have f***g smashed it!

“It was like sticking your hand through a sheet of glass and it wouldn’t let go."

Over the course of I’m A Celeb history there have been several cases of people being bitten by a snake while participating in a bushtucker trial.

English actress Emily Atack was bitten during the 2018 series. The former Inbetweeners star faced the first trial of the series and was handed the task of retrieving 10 stars from a chamber consisting of insects and snakes. During the trial Atack was bitten by a snake on her hand, however she persevered with the trial and won nine stars for her campmates.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne was bitten on the head by a non venomous anaconda during the 2016 series of the show. Warne was taking part in a trial which involved him dunking his head into a tank of snakes to retrieve stars. The bite was subsequently treated with an antiseptic fluid and the cricketer showed no signs of infection.

48-year old presenter Toni Pearon was also repeatedly bitten by a snake during the Australian version of I’m A Celeb in 2021. The medics on the show revealed she was bitten on five occasions. Pearson suffered no injuries as a result of the incident.

Prior to the start of the 2022 series of I’m A Celeb it was reported that a highly venomous snake had made its way into the campsite just days before the celebrities moved in. The snake was believed to be a red bellied snake and it was spotted just inches away from a crew member.

A show executive told The Sun newspaper: “A red-bellied black snake made its way into the camp and decided to curl up just inches away from the head of a stand-in as she slept in her bed.

“The snake is very common in this part of Australia but is very venomous and could of been nasty with the bite causing bleeding and vomiting.”

The show’s producers were forced to close the camp after torrential rain and floods hit the area. An ITV spokesman said: “ We closed the site for 24 hours as a precautionary measure due to the inclement weather.”

Prior to the start of the 2022 series of I’m A Celeb it was reported that a highly venomous snake had made its way into the campsite just days before the celebrities moved in. The snake was believed to be a red bellied snake and it was spotted just inches away from a crew member.

A show executive told The Sun newspaper: “A red-bellied black snake made its way into the camp and decided to curl up just inches away from the head of a stand-in as she slept in her bed.

“The snake is very common in this part of Australia but is very venomous and could of been nasty with the bite causing bleeding and vomiting.”

The show’s producers were forced to close the camp after torrential rain and floods hit the area. An ITV spokesman said: “ We closed the site for 24 hours as a precautionary measure due to the inclement weather.”

Does South Africa have poisonous snakes?

While Australia is home to some of the deadliest creatures on Earth, South Africa still has a variety of different poisonous snakes located in the area - like the Puff Adder, Snouted Cobra, and Gaboon Viper.