The 19th season of “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” kicked off Friday night on RTL, with streaming also available on RTL+. Jan Köppen (42) and Sonja Zietlow (57) checked in from Down Under and immediately announced the introduction of the season’s most controversial contestant.
He got things rolling during the introductions: Gil Ofarim (43). The musician said he has so much more to offer than what he’s currently known for, explaining that he’d sparked a scandal in 2021 when he wrongly accused a hotel employee of antisemitism. He later admitted he had lied.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Unfortunately, nothing good,” said Patrick Romer (30), the star of “Bauer sucht Frau,” right away with his assessment of Ofarim. Would he use the Jungle to address his behavior? “I’d like to tell a lot, but I’m not allowed to,” Ofarim told his ally. He couldn’t turn back time, “I can’t undo it, but I’m sorry for how I went about it,” the singer signaled a hint of remorse. Reality fixture Umut Tekin (28) wasn’t impressed either: “I shake your hand out of respect, even though I think what you did was wrong.”
Actress Mirja du Mont (50), who was immediately pressed about her ex-husband Sky du Mont (78), reality rebel Ariel (22), who has little respect for or even acquaintance with many of her fellow contestants, and screen star Hardy Krüger (57) rounded out the first wave. One participant was still missing.
Seven against five
The audience had to wait for a particularly tense showdown: “There’s a lot more to me than just scandals,” reality star Eva Benetatou (33) stated. She was slated to meet rival and former “Bachelor in Paradise” contestant Samira Yavuz (32). “You’ll have to sit a few steps away,” Benetatou quipped, as she accepted her role in Yavuz’s ongoing tainted narrative—though she planned to use the spotlight for other things too. “I have so much to tell, but I can’t,” Samira said in her intro. She’s ready to turn the attention from the affair headlines into her moment to shine, with the Jungle Camp and a Playboy shoot already under her belt.
Yavuz initially joined a group that included former “Marienhof” star Nicole Belstler-Boettcher (62), entrepreneur Simone Ballack (49), actor Stephen Dürr (51), and Matthias Mangiapanes (42), the husband of “Hot or Schrott” star Hubert Fella (58). The group arrived at camp aboard a helicopter and were taken to “Snake Rock” instead of the usual camp grounds.
Hubert gushes about the naked Stephen
After the five, dressed in yellow and red, completed their first star challenge and only earned two stars, they moved to the sub-camp. Ballack wasn’t impressed and said she wanted to go to the “real camp,” grumbling all the while. With feeble attempts to start a fire and Stephen Dürr’s first naked shower scene, they christened their new home. Hubert Fella was particularly taken with his roommate’s reveal: “Stephen looks good for his age, a great figure. He’s nicely hairless, the hair-on-the-butt shaved, totally clean. Very attractive!”
Group One, as usual in blue and red outfits, settled into the ordinary camp. After security confiscated contraband—the group included Ariel hiding a mascara wand in her hair and Umut stashing a lighter in his underwear—the seven stars’ stars-challenge followed: a bungy jump that would award a star and a first meal. Eva Benetatou, however, had to pass on this challenge due to the height.
First confessions and emotional conversations
Around the campfire, the contestants opened up for the first time. Krüger spoke about life without alcohol, a period that nearly led to organ failure in his past. “You destroy yourself with it,” he warned, urging restraint. He also admitted to smoking heavily in the past.
When asked about the hotel scandal, Ofarim reiterated that he could not discuss it and that he’d signed a non-disclosure agreement. He suggested his silence might also be connected to his kids. “I want to see my children again. My kids mean everything to me.”
Benetatou also chose not to talk about the matter: “I don’t want to discuss it; I’ve taken a lot of hits, I didn’t break up a marriage, I’ve faced my mistakes. Now I just want a fair shot.”
The first conflict also reared its head: after Patrick Romer stepped on what was believed to be a cockroach, Ariel accused him of brutality and sparked a debate about killing animals. Her verdict on the TV farmer: “A really disgusting person.”
Choking celebrities, a heroine and the next challengers
In the end, the two teams finally met again. During the eating trial “The Unfair Accusers,” a nod to RTL’s strategy show “Die Verräter,” the twelve stars were treated to a range of jungle delicacies. The menu included buffalo testicles, cow udders, and mashed goat stomach. When camel anus was served, Hubert Fella boldly declared, “I’m trying it,” and Jan Köppen complimented him: “You’re doing well, Hubert.”
The usual complaints and gagging ensued, but most campers showed remarkable grit, with each team losing only one star (thanks to Ariel and Samira). Only one group managed to earn all its stars. The Eva vs. Hubert duel settled the matter: a Huntsman spider and its sack of babies that Eva consumed more quickly than Hubert, sending six stars to the Normal Camp.
The decision about the next jungle trial followed: Hubert Fella from Team Yellow must face Ariel from Team Blue. On day two, the camps are set to be merged again, Köppen announced. The next Jungle episode is already scheduled for Saturday in prime time. (spot)
