Christopher Dean and Nadiya Bychkova are in the centre of I’m A Celebrity 2026 rumors, with six names now circulating for a series that might be four months away. The list matters because ITV still has not set its lineup, and the early chatter is already shaping expectations around who could make the trip to Australia.
Dean and Bychkova in play
Christopher Dean, 67, was tipped to appear after the cancellation of Dancing on Ice in 2025, with the former skating figure believed to be looking for a new challenge. That makes him one of the more natural reality-TV fits in the rumour mill: recognisable, available and already linked to another ITV show.
Nadiya Bychkova is also in the mix at 36, even though she said, “I’ll still be involved with Strictly, albeit behind the scenes.” She is tied to I’m a Celebrity while keeping one foot in Strictly Come Dancing, a rare overlap that gives ITV a familiar name without forcing a clean break from her other work.
Nash, Stokes and the rest
Su-Elise Nash, 45, is being linked to the jungle after a September reunion show with Alesha Dixon and Sabrina Washington. An insider said, “The timing couldn’t be better.”
Ben Stokes, 35, also sits near the top of the discussion after retiring from cricket in June. The former KISS radio presenter from The Diversity has already said earlier this year on Brothers Uncovered that he would accept if his schedule permitted, while the former Love Island star is back in the conversation after leaving in 2022 “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks.”
ITV, The and timing
ITV now has a cast-building problem as much as a casting opportunity. The next series will be the 26th, the first since a second run of the all-stars show aired, and the network is competing for attention with The ’s recruitment of high-calibre names for The Celebrity Traitors.
That leaves the current list as a set of leads, not lock-ins. Dean looks like the cleanest fit because the route runs directly from Dancing on Ice to the Australian jungle, while Bychkova, Nash and Stokes each bring a different kind of public recognition that ITV can test against a series still months away. Which of the rumoured contestants, if any, will actually sign up for the next series?
