I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! could look very different next season if Channel 10 decides to axe it from its schedule.
The network recently confirmed to Yahoo Lifestyle that decisions about the future of the popular reality TV series hosted by Robert Irwin and Julia Morris will be made in the coming weeks.
Robert’s star power has blown up since he took the US by storm during his wildly successful run on Dancing with the Stars, with the 22-year-old now attracting multi-million-dollar offers.
But could it work against the Aussie if he wants to keep working at home?
“Well-placed TV insiders” have claimed that rival networks Channel 7 and Channel 9 are now gearing up to claim the program, with the latter considering dumping Robert as host in favour of one of its already-established personalities, according to Sky News.
Media commentator Andrew Mercado told Yahoo Lifestyle that while it might sound like a silly move considering how big a star Robert has become, the numbers always come first.
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“[The networks] will be looking at cutting costs, and maybe Robert is too expensive,” he said.
“Whoever buys this show is going to want to make it cheaply.
“Nobody buys a show from another network and plans to spend more money on it.”
This comes after rumours from Hollywood claimed Robert could score deals in America worth up to $50 million, a feat Australian projects would never come close to.
He’s already signed on to host the Hulu/Disney program The Next Pro, which could signal the start of a huge career in America.
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What could happen to the I’m A Celeb hosts under a new network?
While Julia Morris has worked with Channel 9 before, and could be safe in that network’s hands, the same might not be said if Channel 7 picks up the show.
Sky News reported that if Nine kept Julia, she could be paired with someone like Today Extra presenter David Campbell or TV star Gary Sweet, as “executives know audiences already trust them”.
Andrew, who has worked with most of Australia’s biggest TV networks, said whoever was parachuted in to take over Robert or Julia (or both) would have to have “comedy chops”.
“It’s really, really important that you have someone funny as the hosts,” he said.
“Unless you can find comedic hosts to do that show, you shouldn’t be doing it.”
Robert and Julia have co-hosted the show for several years and are a big hit with the audience.
Will I’m A Celeb viewers defect if Robert Irwin and Julia Morris are axed?
Even though Robert has been a huge hit since he took over from Dr Chris Brown in 2023, Andrew said viewers typically tune in to watch the celebrities rather than the hosts.
He said Channel 7 or Channel 9 could breathe some fresh life into the program.
“The entire point of a new network on this show would be that they have access to a whole bunch of new celebrities,” he said.
“And let’s face it, Channel 10 had kind of run out of people from their own network, so a new network taking on the show would absolutely use it to promote their own celebrities.”
Andrew Mercado has weighed in on I’m A Celebrity’s future.
(Andrew Mercado)
But he also questioned whether these networks would want to take on something as expensive as I’m A Celebrity.
The show is filmed over several weeks in South Africa, a costly endeavour.
Team that with the $100,000 prize money, and the five-to-six-figure sums for each celebrity appearance, and it’s a major operation to run.
Yahoo Lifestyle has approached Channel 7 and Channel 9 for comment.
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