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I’m A Celebrity camp ‘invaded by koala bear with chlamydia’

Not so cute now...

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The I’m A Celebrity campsite is well known for being home to cockroaches, spiders, rats, snakes and, occasionally, an unwashed hairy bottom.

But, just days before 10 new celebrities arrive in the jungle, the crew have apparently had another rather unwelcome visitor – a koala with chlamydia!

The 10 new celebs include US star Caitlin Jenner and former EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Bookies reveal their favourite to win this year’s I’m A Celebrity

According to the Daily Star, the Australian set has been taken over by a “chlamydia-riddled” koala bear.

The unwelcome pest is said to have made themselves at home, even though the campsite is still being constructed and rehearsals with hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are well under way.

They’re not dangerous, but they are a bit smelly.

The koala is apparently so at home, crew members have nicknamed it Karl.

Koala bear Pexel/Pascal Renet
Who me? (Credit: Pexel/Pascal Renet)

Read more: Coronation Street fans gutted Andy Whyment isn’t part of the starting line-up for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here

Olly Nash, series producer, told the paper: “They move so slowly, but it might just appear one morning and hang around for 20 hours. He’s around here somewhere, he’s on the side of the valley somewhere hanging around a ridge.

“It’s the first one I’ve ever heard of in the camp. They’re not dangerous, but they are a bit smelly.”

While koalas look super-cute, they are prone to disease, smell of wee and can be very vicious if approached.

Ant and Dec I'm A Celebrity promo pics
Ant and Dec pose for promotional photos before the beginning of the series (Credit: ITV)

The animals are also known to carry the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia, which can be passed onto humans by urine – although it is unlikely.

Earlier this week, ED! reported that bosses were “closely monitoring” bushfires which are raging across parts of Australia ahead of the new series.

However, the nearest reported fires have been at Queensland’s Lamington National Park, 10 kilometres away from the I’m A Celebrity camp.

This year’s crop of celebs includes Jacqueline Jossa, Caitlyn Jenner, Ian Wright, Nadine Coyle, Myles Stephenson, Adele Roberts, Andrew Maxwell, James Haskell, Kate Garraway and Roman Kemp.

Will Ian Wright be swapping footballs for camel balls? (Credit: ITV)

And if you don’t recognise some of the names, you’re not alone!

TV duo Ant and Dec will return to our screens to front the new series this Sunday (November 17).

Would you like to see Donna Marie return to Hollyoaks a changed woman? Let us know on our Facebook page @EntertaimentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor