Channel 10 has reportedly axed I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, leaving one of Australia’s most recognisable reality TV formats facing an uncertain future after a costly season, format changes and a sharp ratings drop.

The report was first published by TV Blackbox, which said sources had confirmed that Paramount-owned Channel 10 had pulled the plug on the series. The decision has reportedly left production company ITV scrambling to find a new home for the show.

The move is a major shake-up for 10’s entertainment slate. I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! has been a key reality brand for the network, combining celebrity casting, jungle challenges, comedy and charity-driven competition. But the 2026 season appears to have exposed the pressure facing expensive reality formats in a tougher TV market.

Network 10 has not fully confirmed the show is finished. After the report was published, the network issued a statement saying: “Decisions regarding the 2027 program schedule including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! will be made in the coming weeks.”

That wording leaves room for a later announcement, but it also stops short of giving the show a clear renewal. For fans, the message is simple: the series is not officially secured for 2027.

Ratings slide followed a major format change

One of the biggest changes this year was Channel 10’s decision to pre-record the entire season rather than air a live version. The move was designed to cut costs by allowing episodes to be filmed back-to-back, reducing the need to keep cast and crew working around a live broadcast schedule over weekends.

That may have helped the budget, but it came with a creative cost. The show lost some of the real-time audience interaction that had helped drive previous seasons, especially around evictions and challenges.

The numbers tell the story. The 2026 season opened strongly with 925,000 national viewers, showing that the brand still had pulling power. But the audience quickly declined as the season moved forward. The finale drew 571,000 viewers, down from 651,000 for the 2025 finale.

That drop matters because finales are usually where reality shows try to build momentum. A weaker final episode suggests the season struggled to hold viewers after the initial launch interest faded.

Swikblog had earlier covered the audience interest around the 2026 season, including the cast announcement in our report on the I’m A Celebrity Australia 2026 full cast list. The launch buzz was there, but the challenge for 10 was keeping viewers engaged through the full season.

Robert Irwin, Julia Morris and Channel 10’s next move

The reported axing also comes amid wider speculation around the show’s hosts. Robert Irwin, who co-hosted with Julia Morris, has reportedly attracted interest from Channel 7. His rising profile has made him a valuable television name, particularly with younger viewers and family audiences.

The TV Blackbox report also referenced claims that Morris had been “difficult” on set. Morris has been a central part of the Australian version’s identity for years, and any uncertainty around the hosting team would add another complication for a format already under pressure.

For Channel 10, the decision appears to be about more than one show. The network is likely to put more money behind Big Brother, with expectations of a longer season. Paramount executive Sarah Thornton recently praised the return of Big Brother at the Screen Forever conference, saying it was “still the most-streamed show on 10 streaming of the year.”

She also said the show continued to perform with younger demographics, noting that 10 still won the 16 to 39 and 25 to 54 age groups. Those numbers are important because networks are increasingly judging reality shows not only by overnight TV ratings, but also by streaming strength and advertiser-friendly younger audiences.

If Big Brother gives 10 a better return across streaming and key demographics, shifting money away from I’m A Celebrity becomes easier to understand. Reality television is still valuable, but networks are now being more selective about which shows justify premium production budgets.

There may still be hope for I’m A Celebrity. The report noted that Nine’s Adrian Swift recently said he would be open to buying major formats that other networks let go. Speaking at Screen Forever, Swift said: “There are big ideas that are actually big enough to sit on any free to air platform, or probably any streamer.” He also joked that he would take MasterChef if it became available.

That comment does not mean Nine will pick up I’m A Celebrity, but it shows that big unscripted formats can still attract interest if they become available. ITV may now test whether another broadcaster or streamer sees enough value in the jungle franchise.

For now, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is in survival mode. The show still has brand recognition, familiar hosts and a loyal audience, but the 2026 season showed how quickly a reality format can lose momentum when cost cuts affect the viewing experience.

The final decision will depend on whether 10, ITV or another broadcaster believes the format can be refreshed without losing what made it work in the first place: live energy, strong casting, audience involvement and a sense that anything can happen in the jungle.

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