I’m A Celebrity 2023: Who is Tony Bellew, and how have boxers in the show fared before?

On Wednesday evening’s episode of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Ant and Dec revealed that all ten of the celebrities will be doing the next bushtucker trial. But that wasn’t the only surprise as they will be joined by two new campmates.

In tonight's show (November 23) the campmates will be split into two teams of five and face the ‘Scarena’ with their new coaches, Italian jockey Frankie Detorri and former professional boxer Tony Bellew. 

Before going into the jungle and in the promo video for the show Tony Bellew, 40, said: “I’m going into the jungle because it’s a challenge and I love a challenge. I’m a serial winner, I hate to lose. I’m not going to give in. I've faced many different things in my life and now the jungle is next, let’s see what you’ve got for me.”

The boxer almost pulled out of I’m A Celebrity as the day after he signed the contract his beloved grandmother died. According to Mail Online Tony Bellew explained: “If I couldn't have changed the funeral date I would have reneged. But I'm here now. She was in a home and told my mum: 'I'll be able to watch every night'. But I'm sure she'll be watching wherever she is, whatever she's doing.”

Who is Tony Bellew?

Tony Bellew is an English former professional boxer from Liverpool, who competed from 2007 to 2018. Since then he has worked as a boxing analyst and commentator and so is ringside at many high-profile boxing matches. He held the WBC (World Boxing Council) cruiserweight title from 2016 to 2017, and challenged for the undisputed cruiserweight championship in 2018.

Tony Bellew has been married to Rachael Roberts since 2018 but it's believed they were childhood sweethearts and actually first met when they were nine years old. They share three sons Corey, Cobey and Carter.

Which boxers have previously starred in I’m A Celeb? 

There have been many boxers competing in the jungle over the years. Nigel Benn was the first boxer to appear on the show in 2002 although he didn’t last long as he was the second person to be eliminated. 

David Haye made it to third place in 2012 and Chris Eubank narrowly missed out on being in the final three as he was voted out and came in fourth place in 2015. And who can forget one of the most famous scenes in I’m A Celebrity history - in 2017 Amir Khan and Iain Lee caused controversy with ‘strawberrygate’ when the two celebs ate treats won in a Dingo Dollar challenge behind their campmates' back. It didn’t seem to go against them though as Amir Khan made it to the last seven. Could Tony Bellew be the first boxer to win the show? We will have to watch and find out.