Network Ten announces it will ‘rest’ hit reality show as rival networks eye the franchise

Network Ten will “rest” its popular reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! – and though the broadcaster is keen to revive the series in future, it is now vulnerable to being poached by a rival network.

“We have made the decision to rest I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in 2027 as we focus on offering our audience a range of content on all platforms,” a Ten spokesperson said. “We look forward to working with [current hosts] Julia Morris and Robert Irwin on other projects.”

Network Ten made the announcement on Friday, after more than a week of rumours surrounding its future.

Several sources from Ten and production company ITV Studios Australia – speaking last week on the condition of anonymity due to the commercially sensitive nature of negotiations – said the network was eager to retain the format.

“Ten has been running the ruler over I’m a Celeb for months on end,” one ITV source said. “They’ve been looking at every possible option to make it stack up financially but in the end it’ll come down to whether or not they can justify the cost.”

Another ITV insider said that Ten’s exclusivity period for I’m a Celebrity expired in April, allowing the company to begin shopping the series to other networks.

‘Another network could take I’m a Celebrity and make it work for them but I wouldn’t be surprised if it does return to Ten at some point.’

Reality TV producer

“But this has happened before,” the source said. “The exclusivity period would expire and then, a few months later, usually around June or July, Ten would sign on for another year. And if Ten decides not to pick it up for 2027, we’re pretty confident that Seven or Nine will be interested.”

A Seven spokesman said: “We take a look at all formats when they become available.” Nine* has also been approached for comment.

At the Screen Forever conference in April, Adrian Swift, Nine’s head of content, production and development, said: “There are big ideas that are actually big enough to sit on any platform or probably any streamer. Would I take MasterChef tomorrow if [Ten] decided to give it up? Yes, I would.”

Network Ten is yet to announce a replacement for I’m a Celebrity, although an extended season of Big Brother is rumoured to be under consideration.

At first glance Network Ten’s decision may seem strange: I’m a Celebrity is consistently one of the network’s most-watched programs, and this year’s season had its strongest start since 2022.

In January its debut averaged almost 1.19 million viewers nationally (this figure includes everyone who watched or streamed the episode within seven days of its initial screening). The finale, which aired in February, averaged 700,000 viewers.

This drop-off isn’t surprising: by the time the season ended, it was competing against Nine’s juggernaut Married at First Sight and Seven’s Australian Idol. Even so, it performed especially well among the 16-39 and 25-54 demographics targeted by Ten.

While Ten was “exceptionally happy” with these ratings, according to one network source, the high cost of production made it unviable.

“Apart from a couple of years during the pandemic, when we filmed in Australia, we’ve always filmed in South Africa – and for most of that time we were broadcasting live,” the source said. “This requires a crew of literally hundreds of people in South Africa and Australia, and you’ve got the added pressures of working across different time zones.”

For its 2026 season Ten sought to lower costs by pre-recording the series in South Africa late last year, allowing episodes to be filmed back-to-back. While this reduced accommodation expenses for crew on the days the show didn’t air, it removed the ability for viewers to interact as they had in previous seasons – such as selecting participants for certain challenges or voting to save them from elimination.

To get around this problem, producers used a tactic often employed by other reality shows: they filmed multiple endings, with each finalist pretending they had won. These changes resulted in some fans expressing disappointment on social media.

“The reason Ten is doing everything in its power to keep the series is that it’s strategically important to them,” an ITV source said last week. “By airing the show in summer, it offers a genuine alternative to the cricket and the tennis on Seven and Nine, and it allows Ten to promote all the other shows it has coming up throughout the year.

“But even if Ten can’t get another season of I’m a Celeb over the line, that’s not to say another network won’t be interested.”

Among the many Australian reality shows that have aired on more than one commercial network are Big Brother, Australian Idol, The Voice, Beauty and the Geek, The Farmer Wants a Wife, The Amazing Race and Australia’s Got Talent.

“The fact is that in 2026, in such a competitive environment, it’s harder to launch a brand-new reality series than to take an existing format and give it a bit of freshen-up, or perhaps a complete overhaul,” said one industry source, who has worked on a number of high-profile reality programs.

“It’s quite conceivable that another network could take I’m a Celebrity and make it work for them. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it does return to Ten at some point. Just look at Big Brother – it started on Ten, then it went to Nine, and ended up on Seven before returning to Ten. This is just how things are in commercial television right now.”

In a statement, Irwin said: “I want to express what an absolute privilege it has been to work on this show for the past three seasons. I grew up watching this show as so many Aussies do, so to be part of the fantastic team that make this series a reality felt like a dream come true. We have had the honour of sharing incredible stories and create a platform to shine a light on amazing charities that our celebrities have supported along the way. And to do it all alongside my co-host, and friend, Julia Morris, made it a truly life-changing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Morris said: “I’m A Celebrity and our whole jungle family who make this show have made it the best working experience of my lifetime. I have loved every moment and will be forever grateful to [network president Beverley McGarvey] and the whole team at Network Ten for not only believing in this show but nurturing it for 12 years. And to our jungle family watching from home, we love you.”

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