As we prepare for another All Stars series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, one former star has her suspicions about why she hasn’t been asked back.
In 2008, former glamour model Nicola McLean caused a stir in camp with her lively personality, finishing in sixth place before EastEnders actor Joe Swash was crowned winner.
Since then, the 44-year-old star has been a huge character on the reality shows she’s appeared on, which she reckons is putting bosses off from reaching out for another stint in the jungle.
While she’d been keen to return for more Bushtucker Trials, Nicola can see why her fiery nature might make for controversial casting in 2025.
‘How have I not been asked yet?’, she told The Sun.
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‘I don’t know whether it’s because I’m so well known for Big Brother.
‘It is only the second one, but I’m hoping I’ll get the call-up. I think I’d be brilliant.’
During her original jungle stretch, Nicola famously clashed with 70s star David Van Day, later accusing him of sexually inappropriate advances after he slapped her bottom while she was wearing her bikini.
She went on to make headlines with her Celebrity Big Brother run-ins, most notably facing off with Denise Welch 13 years ago after the drunken Loose Woman pulled Playboy model Karissa Shannon’s pyjama bottoms down in a prank gone wrong.
Nicola, who has appeared on three series of CBB and spent 56 days in total in the house, wasn’t shy in letting Denise know how she felt on the matter, with her other arguments including Natalie Cassidy and Natasha Giggs.
But while she recognises that her explosive character isn’t for everyone, Nicola has no plans to change.
‘I feel like it doesn’t matter how hard I try, I can’t self-edit,’ she admits.
‘I just can’t do it. If I don’t like you, I don’t like you. I can’t pretend for 2-3 weeks I like someone I don’t.’
And she’d be exactly the same person if she were in this year’s BB house, weighing in on the controversy involving second-oldest housemate Caroline and 25-year-old Zelah.
During a game of spin the bottle, Caroline misgendered Zelah, who is trans, declaring, ‘She’s a girl!’ before making probing remarks about his genitalia.
While they patched things up the next day thanks to an ashamed Caroline’s grovelling, Nicola has made it known she’d tell the PR manager exactly how she felt about her comments if she entered the ITV abode alongside her.
‘You can’t have a sh*tty opinion, like Caroline Monk in her spin the bottle challenge. I would have gone nuts at that.
“What are you talking about? Shut your mouth!” They need to bring back people who have nothing to lose.’
As for the upcoming I’m A Celeb All Stars, filming recently wrapped in South Africa, with the series set to air on ITV in 2026.
While hosts Ant and Dec are yet to make an official announcement on the lineup, speculation has been rife for months around who will be going back in.
The last instalment of I’m A Celebrity: South Africa was won by Myleene Klass, while iconic returning campmates included Carol Vorderman, Shaun Ryder, Amir Khan, Janice Dickinson, Gillian McKeith, and Dean Gaffney.
This time, viewers reckon we’re in for more meme-worthy moments with the likes of former winner Harry Redknapp, boxer David Haye, Towie’s Gemma Collins, and comedian Seann Walsh thought to have signed up.
Other names floating around include Goggleboxer Scarlett Moffatt, soap star Adam Thomas, and athlete Sir Mo Farah.
Meanwhile, the regular I’m A Celebrity we all know and love will be back much sooner. A run date is yet to be confirmed, but the series tends to air in November to December in time for the festive period.
So far, the rumoured lineup comprises Tommy Fury, Lisa Riley, Jack Grealish, and Patsy Palmer.
I’m A Celebrity… South Africa airs on ITV in 2026.
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