I’m a Celebrity backstage secrets – from hidden ‘sex cave’ to ‘Talk of Doom’ and trick to avoid flashing on camera
I'M A Celebrity may have a new home in a spooky Welsh castle this year, but many of its tricks and secrets will likely have remained in place.
From 'modesty smocks' and fake props to campmates being given a 'Talk of Doom' before filming, a huge production operation takes place behind the scenes.
And thanks to former campmates and crew 'spilling the rice and beans' in previous years, fans have been let in on some of the show's top secrets.
While the jungle shower - which has seen a stream of stunning celebs strip off - is actually fake, there is also said to be a 'secret sex cave' close by.
And while months of planning goes into stockpiling the creepy crawlies for the Bushtucker Trials, there's also allegedly a grim reason why their uniform is red.
Here we look at some of the show's backstage secrets...
Celebs given 'modesty smocks' to avoid flashing
After the stars complained that they had to get naked in front of the cameras in order to change in series 1, producers came up with what is called a "modesty smock".
It is essentially a sheet designed for campmates to put their head through, allowing them to get changed in front of the cameras without flashing anything.
The show has a 'dummy run'
In past series, brave Australians have been hired to spend three days pretending to be the celebrities the week before the show goes live.
It's done to ensure everything in the camp is in working order and they even do trials and eat the same food - just like it's the real thing.
It's unclear who they've enlisted this year - due to lockdown - but the celebs no doubt either have a few daring Welsh locals, or even crew members who have been self-isolating, to thank.
There's a secret 'sex cave' in Australia
I'm A Celeb has seen some very famous romances begin under the canopy of trees in Australia - from Peter Andre and Katie Price, to THAT flirting between Marc Bannerman and Cerys Matthews.
And last year, producers are said to have introduced a secret 'love cave' in the hopes of striking up a new jungle romance.
The hideout was next to the communal shower and offered the campmates complete privacy.
Sadly no major romances happened, and it's unclear if there's anything similar this year - although a huge castle is bound to have many hidden corners...
Celebs given 'The Talk Of Doom' before going in
There have been many stars that have appeared genuinely shocked by the horrors they face on the show - take Jordan throwing up on the cliff edge this year as a strong example.
But according to Mark Busk-Cowley, who penned the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The Inside Story book, producers fill them in on everything beforehand so they're fully prepared.
Campmates are apparently given the 'Talk of Doom" by executive producers, and even handed a DVD to watch to fill them in.
The jungle shower and some props are FAKE
Some of the programme's most memorable moments have happened underneath the waterfall in Australia, but it turns out it's manmade - and can even be switched off.
Bosses turn off the waterfall's H20 supply every day between 3pm and 6pm - leaving the fake facade bone dry.
And some of the rocks situated around the camp are also fake.
Broadcaster and former campmate Lauren Booth told the : "Take the rocks around the edge of the encampment – they seemed to be hollow and made of papier mache."
Of course, this won't be the case for all of them - and the set seems to be largely real in Gwrych Castle this year, thanks to its already spooky interior.
This is why the fire rarely goes out...
Many eagle-eyed viewers have noticed the camp fire has miraculously remained alight in previous years, despite vicious tropical storms in Australia.
But there's been a good reason for that.
A source told The Sun: “There’s a canopy covering a bit of the camp, which is why the fire didn’t go out during the big storm viewers saw..."
They added: “But it doesn’t cover the whole camp, and that’s why they were complaining their beds were flooded and clothes drenched – the water can still get in from the sides.”
With much worse weather battering the camp in Wales, a temporary canopy erected over the main site proved to be insufficient as filming began - so producers may be forced to find back-up plans as it continues this year.
Grim reason for red uniform
While this year's uniform has changed somewhat due to the much colder climate, the celebs are still largely seen wearing red attire.
And there's claimed to be a bit of a stomach-churning reason for the colour choice.
Bob McCarron, the show’s on-site medic, told the cast are given red socks to wear so the blood from insect bites doesn’t show up on camera.
Camera crew 'disguise themselves in bushes'
Former campmate Joel Dommett let the cat out of the bag about the camera crew's secrets during the 2018 show's filming, when he snapped a sneaky photo of someone dressed in full jungle camouflage - almost looking like a bush at a glance.
His sneak peek came after it was revealed that there are 30 cameras filming the celebrities at all times.
Creepy crawlies 'bred specially for trials'
It might sound obvious but the show needs thousands of bugs over the three-week run for the trials.
In 2013, a bug breeder specifically bred 250,000 cockroaches, 153,000 crickets, 2.5 million mealworms, 400 spiders, 500 rats, 30 snakes, six 1-metre-long crocodiles, and 20 small crocodiles.
It's unclear how they've done it this year, but it no doubt took some meticulous planning.
Stars 'only allowed 3 sets of underwear'
The stars have previously been allowed just three sets of underwear and three sets of swimwear for three whole weeks – everything else is provided.
Luckily they have plenty of water in Wales to get hand washing!
Stars 'given vitamins when lack of food gets too much'
Hugo Taylor swapped his plush Chelsea life for the jungle in 2012, and later revealed the lack of food can prove too much for some campmates.
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He claimed in 2017 that the production team were forced to give them vitamins in order to sustain the contestants.
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"People were just wasting away, lying down doing nothing because they literally couldn't move," Hugo told . "Producers came in with a bag of orange powder which was electrolytes. I put some in my drink and it was like taking pure adrenaline.
"I was running around like a child on Coca-Cola. I couldn't stop moving."