A returning I’m A Celebrity contestant is reportedly ‘furious’ after discovering a fellow campmate is earning more for the All Stars series
One I’m A Celebrity star is reportedly ‘furious’ over the salaries for this season(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Jimmy Bullard reportedly reacted angrily after learning a fellow campmate was earning more money to make a comeback on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! than he was. The 47-year-old former professional footballer first appeared on the hit ITV show in 2014 heading into the Australian jungle, leaving the show as the first star to be eliminated, while Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty was ultimately crowned the King of the Jungle.
Now, Jimmy is returning for the All Stars edition, I’m A Celebrity South Africa, hoping for a better outcome than before. He will be competing along side TOWIE’s Gemma Collins, Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt, Olympian Sir Mo Farah and comedian Joe Walsh.
However, according to reports, Jimmy has sparked up some tension with one particular campmate. The Sun revealed that Jimmy was “furious” to discover that 2018 King of the Jungle Harry Redkapp was being paid a higher fee than him.
The source explained: “Jimmy expected to be on the same money as Harry. However, Harry is considered one of the biggest names of the South Africa series. He also loves spending time at home with wife Sandra, and it would have taken a big fee for him to spend time in South Africa without her.”
Jimmy is reportedly not happy after learning a certain star was paid more than him(Image: ITV)
Jimmy and Harry share a long history spanning over two decades. In 1999, the football manager signed the former player for £20,000 to play for West Ham United, after moving from Gravesend & Northfleet. Details of the current pay for both Jimmy and the 79 year old football manager have not been disclosed, although their first series earnings were also notably different.
Jimmy was reportedly paid £100,000 in 2014, while Harry received a £500,000 fee – making him one of the highest paid contestants in the history of the hit ITV show, alongside stars such as Boy George and Caitlyn Jenner.
Other stars who were paid a high fee for competing in the show include Noel Edmonds, who reportedly earned £600,000 in 2018, and Nigel Farage who reportedly received £1.5 million for his appearance on the show in 2023. While Coleen Rooney, who was the runner-up on the 2024 series earned a substantial sum.
Harry Redknapp won the show in 2018(Image: ITV)
Despite the reported pay dispute, Jimmy previously insisted he would participate in the show regardless of the fee, saying: “I would have come in the jungle for nothing. I would have paid them a little bit of money to get me in there.”
I’m A Celebrity… South Africa returns to ITV, STV and ITVX tonight at 9pm for a second season and will air for 90 minutes.
All 11 returning contestants are hoping to be crowned Jungle Legend, following Myleene Klass’ victory on the first season of the show which aired in 2023.
The returning contestants include singer Sinitta, Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, retired boxer David Haye, DJ and Red Dwarf actor Craig Charles, Coronation Street star Beverley Callard, and Waterloo Road actor Adam Thomas, all set to face Ant and Dec and the dreaded Bushtucker Trials.
