Thrusting 10 celebrities into a confined space is a curious social experiment. What becomes of the famous, when stripped of their comforts and canapes?
Finding themselves in the South African jungle for I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! were Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones, former Test cricketer Merv Hughes, Logie winner Chrissie Swan and several people we had never heard of.
Their new home during the reality TV series, which debuted on Network Ten on Sunday night, is a dirt-floor camp surrounded by snakes, scorpions and 47 cameras capturing their every move.
Also subjecting themselves to scrutiny were former AFL player Barry Hall, TV presenter Andrew Daddo, comedian Joel Creasey, the woman formerly known as Marcia Brady, "professional traveller" Tyson Mayr and two women known for their work in bikinis.
Some celebrities are reportedly being paid about $60,000 a week for viewers to watch them boil water, survive on rations of rice and beans, and sleep and shower. The celebrities must also undergo physical challenges, such as being covered with elephant dung or being forced to forgo spray tans. Viewers will decide which celebrities remain in camp.
Jones said the show would "expose people for what they really are".
"When you're really tired and hungry, you'll discover things about yourself you never knew were there before," she said.
Hall, best known as a brawling footballer, said he wanted to show viewers his softer side. "Me as a sportsman is totally different from me as a person," he said. "I am not as bad as I seem."
The contestants are a motley crew of former sportspeople, presenters and "personalities", who are also raising money for charity.
The term "celebrity" is applied loosely. In the first episode, some contestants had clearly never heard of each other. Also featured were bush treks and instructions on cleaning the long-drop toilet and locking the rubbish bins from baboons – which loiter in the trees above the camp.
Ten's head of entertainment, Stephen Tate, said producers spoke to hundreds of prospective contestants. At least one of the final 10 instead contacted him asking to be in the show.
"We wanted people from all different walks of celebrity life," he said. "They're all different fan bases that we're hoping to attract to the show."
Producers went to great lengths to conceal the contestants' identities from the public and each other, including calling them by code names such as Bambi (Swan), Big Bird (Hall) and Nemo (Jones).
I'm A Celebrity is produced by ITV, which runs the popular British version of the series – which is filmed in northern NSW. Ten refused to reveal the cost of the elaborate new Australian production, which boasts 380 crew and a custom-made studio featuring several huts and a suspension bridge. A spokeswoman said it had "realistic expectations" about ratings, amid a slew of rival reality TV shows.
Tate said the series would run for "up to six weeks" but admitted its schedule was "flexible". South Africa was chosen because it was more exotic and challenging for contestants. I'm a Celebrity was about "existing without all the trappings of modern-day life", he said.
But Swan said she didn't like being called a celebrity. "It's a cringeworthy word, it's a bit up yourself," she said. "The word 'celebrity' brings up ideas of personal assistants and fancy houses – I don't have a personal assistant and my shower doesn't even run properly."
Daddo said he expected contestants would be subjected to some "mental disintegration" for the cameras. "I hope we're protected from our slightly messed-up selves," he said.
"It's a pretty interesting test. And then I'm sure it will be back to a normal life for just about everyone."
CELEBRITY BIOS
Andrew Daddo, 47: TV presenter, corporate speaker and children's book author. .
Barry Hall, 37: former AFL forward for the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs.
Chrissie Swan, 41: author/columnist/presenter/Silver Logie winner. Runner-up in the reality show Big Brother in 2003.
Joel Creasey, 24: comedian. Opened for the late Joan Rivers in the New York Comedy Festival.
Lauren Brandt, 25: Former member of children's entertainment group Hi-5.
Laura Dundovic, 28: Miss Universe Australia 2008. Host of reality TV show Dating in the Dark.
Leisel Jones, 29: four-time Olympian. Retired from professional swimming in 2012 to give motivational talks.
Maureen McCormick, 58: Best known for playing the role of Marcia Brady in 1970s American sitcom The Brady Bunch.
Merv Hughes, 53: Former Australian fast bowler with 212 career wickets.
Tyson Mayr, 29: underwear model and professional traveller.
The writer travelled to South Africa courtesy of Network Ten.
