I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here: Most Gruesome Bushtucker Trials

The most gruesome I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Bushtucker Trials

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is back, bringing with it the reality show’s infamous Bushtucker Trials. The challenges have been a central part of the programme since it began in 2002 and have subjected campmates to frightening animals, stomach-churning food and intensely difficult physical situations.

The trials have changed over the years. Producers have banned celebrities from eating live bugs and insects and introduced limits on how many trials a campmate can complete consecutively. Even with those changes, the format has produced some of the most memorable and disturbing moments in I’m A Celebrity history.

Paul Burrell faces a chamber full of creatures in 2004

During the ‘Bushtucker Bonanza’ trial, Paul Burrell, the former butler of Princess Diana, had to search for stars in pitch-black chambers filled with green ants, huntsman spiders, cockroaches and snakes.

The experience was clearly nauseating for Burrell, but his screams also made the trial an unusually funny moment. Hosts Ant and Dec reportedly struggled to keep their composure while watching him tackle the critter-filled chambers.

Shaun Ryder is bitten by a snake in 2010

Shaun Ryder, the Happy Mondays legend, came face to face with an Australian carpet python while searching boxes for stars. The snake had already bitten politician Lembit Opik earlier in the trial, suggesting it was highly agitated when Ryder took his turn.

Despite the painful bite, the Mancunian handled the incident surprisingly well, apart from a couple of strong swear words. Medics quickly treated Ryder and were able to free his hand from the snake’s jaws.

Carl Fogarty drinks deer blood in 2014

As part of the ‘Vile Vineyards’ challenge in season 14 of I’m A Celebrity, former motorbike racer Carl Fogarty was asked to drink a blended mixture of deer blood, liver and kidney.

Fogarty, who went on to win the season, approached the challenge with determination and managed to finish the entire drink. He did not consume it in one go, however, which was understandable given the ingredients.

Fatima Whitbread has a cockroach crawl up her nose

Olympic gold-medallist and retired javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread faced one of the show’s most nightmarish moments in 2014. With her head inside a bowl containing hundreds of cockroaches, she had one crawl up her nose and become stuck.

Whitbread remained composed as she dealt with the incident. With assistance from a medic named Bob, she flushed the cockroach out with water and forcefully blew her nose until it was removed.

Ferne McCann eats a live spider in 2015

Ferne McCann endured one of the most stomach-churning eating trials in I’m A Celebrity history when she was required to eat a live waterspider. The TOWIE star was told to spin the glass first to make the spider dizzy.

McCann somehow placed the spider in her mouth and ate it alive, creating a trial that remains difficult to watch years later.

Charlie Brooks eats a live witchetty grub

In 2016, EastEnders actor Charlie Brooks was asked to eat a live witchetty grub. The trial took place three years before the ban on eating live insects and bugs was introduced.

Live larvae had been a common feature of I’m A Celebrity eating trials, and the size of the witchetty grub made the challenge particularly unsettling. After building herself up for the task, Brooks bit off its head and chewed the rest of the grub.

Adam Thomas holds a spider in his mouth

Adam Thomas did not have to eat a spider during his 2016 trial, but the challenge was still particularly difficult for the Waterloo Road star, who had openly discussed his fear of spiders during the show’s 16th season.

Thomas managed to complete the task by holding a giant spider in his mouth while its legs stuck out. His performance earned stars for his campmates despite the obvious difficulty of the trial.

Iain Lee drinks blended cockroaches in 2017

Television host Iain Lee faced another notoriously unpleasant food challenge in 2017. He was required to drink a smoothie containing cockroaches, mealworms, crickets and beach worms.

Lee successfully swallowed the entire drink and then placed the empty pint glass on his head, adding an unexpected comic moment to an otherwise revolting trial.

Why This Matters

Bushtucker Trials remain one of the defining features of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, combining fear, endurance and entertainment in challenges designed to test the celebrities in front of a television audience. The examples involving live insects and animals also show how the programme’s rules have evolved, including the later ban on eating live bugs and insects and restrictions on consecutive trials.

Although the challenges have changed, the long-running trials continue to generate some of the most recognisable moments in the show’s history, from Paul Burrell’s reaction to creepy crawlies to Shaun Ryder’s snake bite and Iain Lee’s blended insect drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Bushtucker Trials begin?

Bushtucker Trials have been a part of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! since the show began in 2002.

Which celebrities faced the most disturbing trials?

Among the examples are Paul Burrell, Shaun Ryder, Carl Fogarty, Fatima Whitbread, Ferne McCann, Charlie Brooks, Adam Thomas and Iain Lee. Their trials involved snakes, cockroaches, spiders, live larvae, deer blood and other challenging ingredients.

Are celebrities still allowed to eat live insects?

No. The show introduced a ban on celebrities eating live bugs and insects. It has also limited how many trials a campmate can complete consecutively.