EXCLUSIVE Major shake-up for new season of I'm A Celebrity Australia as insider reveals why Channel Ten will 'NEVER cancel the series'
In a first for the Aussie edition of I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, Channel 10 is pulling the plug on its beloved live format.
The entire 2026 season is set to be pre-recorded in South Africa this November and aired in January to kick off the network's summer programming slate.
And according to well-placed insiders, the shake-up has sent shockwaves through the local entertainment industry.
'This is a game-changer,' a network source told Daily Mail Australia.
'For years, the live element has scared off bigger names. Now that it's all pre-recorded, suddenly everyone wants in - we're talking names we never thought we could get.'
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
The move has lifted the pressure on nervous celebs fearful of 'cancellation in real time', giving producers more control over the chaos that unfolds in the jungle.
'Live TV can be brutal. Now there's room to finesse things in the edit - ramp up the drama, clean up the awkward silences, and make sure no one's career gets torched before the final credits,' the insider added.
The format switch isn't being driven by budget cuts either - despite whispers around the industry pointing fingers at Ten's looming Big Brother reboot and cost-shifting.
'If anything, this frees up cash to actually chase some proper A-listers,' the insider said.
'Not just someone who walked down the aisle on Married At First Sight five years ago and everyone completely forgot about.'
And Ten has form when it comes to pulling surprise names out of the hat.
Over the years, The Masked Singer has featured a string of international stars, from La Toya Jackson and Brian Austin Green to Charlotte Crosby, Destiny's Childs' Michelle Williams, and even Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton.
'There's definitely a hope that if we start landing bigger names, other platforms might take notice - streaming, international syndication, you name it,' one well-placed TV exec told us.
But the reality behind keeping the show on air may come down to something far more practical - quotas.
Under Australian media laws, all commercial networks are legally required to ensure at least 55 per cent of the content broadcast on their primary channels is locally made - a rule reaffirmed by the federal government in 2020.
'Honestly, I'm A Celeb is just cheap and cheerful content that ticks the box,' the source explained.
'It helps Ten meet their local content quota during a period when ratings don't matter. Unless they find another show that's just as budget and easy to churn out, I don't see it going anywhere.'
The upcoming series is expected to begin filming in South Africa in November, with a slightly shorter post-production window allowing Ten to air the full season from January – right in time to kick off their 2025 line-up.
Channel 10 has been approached for comment.
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