I'm A Celebrity 2012 set to kick off

I'm A Celebrity 2012 set to kick off
I'm A Celebrity 2012 set to kick off

The I'm A Celebrity...2012 contestants have arrived in the jungle ahead of the start of the series on ITV on Sunday night - and some of them are already finding it tough. The stars - among them Coronation Street's Helen Flanagan, EastEnders star Charlie Brookes, MP Nadine Dorries, actress Linda Robson and reality star Hugo Taylor - were thrown in at the deep end straight away when they were taken to a barren island, split into teams and given the task of location a helicopter at the other end. The winning team was treated to one final night in a hotel, while the others had to set up camp on the island with only a makeshift overnight kit. And Nadine's team struggled, with the MP admitting it was "tough walking in sand, walking up hills." Her attempts to navigate her team across the island on a boat also proved ill-fated when it sank before they reached the other side. Dr Who star Colin Baker, Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and darts legend Eric Bristow, as well as Hugo Taylor, were among those who found themselves submerged in the icy water as a result. Meanwhile Helen Flanagan was left sobbing as she faced her fear of heights head-on in her team's bid to reach their destination - by walking across a high wire. Linda Robson also struggled with the challenge although comedian Brian Conley appeared to tackle the task fearlessly - while Charlie Brooks and boxer David Haye also took to the high wire. The series kicks off on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday night.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.