Craig Charles returns to I’m A Celebrity with old grief still in focus
craig charles is back in the frame as ITV brings a new all-star I’m A Celebrity series to South Africa this month. The actor and DJ is returning to a format that once ended abruptly for him after the death of his brother, Dean, during his first jungle run in 2014.
For craig charles, the return is not just another television appearance. It is tied to a personal loss that changed how he looked at work, family, and the years that followed.
A return shaped by loss
The latest series of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa follows the success of the show’s debut all-star run in 2023 and is set to air on ITV, ITVX, STV, and STV Player. Charles is among the confirmed names, and his return carries a clear emotional weight because his first appearance in the Australian jungle ended after only four days.
That earlier exit came after he was told his brother Dean had died. Charles has said the news forced him to leave the camp immediately and travel home. He has also said the two had not spoken for several years because of a family falling out, which made the loss harder to bear.
Charles later reflected that he had hoped he would leave the jungle, make up with Dean, and spend Christmas with the family. Instead, he said, he was left wishing he had had one last conversation. In his own words, he said he would have loved to “make up. ”
Craig Charles and the long road back
Charles has described this return as a chance to face something he could not face before. He said the show once felt bittersweet and that, in the first few years after his departure, he could not watch it without feeling sadness and loss. Over time, that feeling eased, and he said he now feels strong and confident enough to do it again and have a laugh.
The actor also said the experience pushed him to re-evaluate his life. At the time of his first jungle appearance, he was 50 and had spent ten years on Coronation Street. He said he felt he was in a rut and began to think more seriously about what he had achieved and what he wanted next.
In speaking about Dean, Charles said he has hoped the return will make his brother proud. He recalled hearing after the first episode of his original jungle run that Dean had told his wife he was going to win. That memory remains central to how he sees this latest appearance.
From Liverpool roots to a familiar TV face
Charles has also spoken about his Liverpool upbringing, saying his father arrived in England in 1958 and came to Liverpool Docks with a pocketful of change and a bag full of records. He said his childhood in a musical household, and the influence of places such as Granby and Liverpool 8, helped shape his interests.
That background sits alongside a long television and radio career. Charles is best known for his roles as Dave Lister in Red Dwarf and Lloyd Mullaney in Coronation Street, and he has hosted The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on radio since 2002. His career has moved across acting, presenting, narration, and DJ work, but the jungle story remains one of the most personal chapters.
What happens next
With the South Africa series now underway this month, craig charles returns to a show that still carries the memory of a sudden loss and an unfinished goodbye. His latest appearance brings the focus back to that moment in 2014, while also giving him a new chance to step into the camp on his own terms.
As the series unfolds, the emotional pull around craig charles is likely to remain part of the story, not because of speculation, but because he has made clear why this return matters to him.
