‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ stars may have an extra campmate this year because a koala has set up home at their campsite.
The ITV show’s presenters Ant and Dec will welcome the native Australian animal – which the crew has nicknamed Karl – into the campsite after it crept in over the last few weeks and set up home in the trees above beds and hammocks.
The cute marsupial poses no danger to the jungle dwellers, however, a high proportion of koalas carry the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia but it is unlikely one of the stars will catch the disease, it is possible to transfer the infection through urine.
Series producer Olly Nash insists there is no need for anyone to panic about Karl but the celebs may need to pack a nose peg as he is a "bit smelly".
Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper, he said: "They move so slowly but it might just appear one morning and hang around for 20 hours. He’s around here somewhere, he’s on the side of the valley somewhere hanging around a ridge. It’s the first one I’ve ever heard of in the camp. They’re not dangerous but they are a bit smelly."
If Karl does appear on screen it will be a rare occurrence as the herbivores are not often spotted in the wild as they spend most of their days sleeping in the tall tree branches.
Karl could get star-struck as he will be sharing camp with Jacqueline Jossa, Caitlyn Jenner, Ian Wright, Nadine Coyle, Myles Stephenson, Adele Roberts, Andrew Maxwell, James Haskell, Kate Garraway and Roman Kemp.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Andrew Whyment is still set to enter the ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ jungle, alongside another mystery star, despite not being named on the initial 10-celebrity line-up.
The ‘Coronation Street’ actor was expected to be named among the initial contestants for the reality show, which were revealed earlier this week, but his name didn’t appear on the official announcement.
But Andrew – who plays hapless Kirk Sutherland in ‘Corrie’ – will still be heading Down Under to join the camp when the series has started, alongside another famous face.
I’m A Celeb camp invaded by koala
