I’m A Celebrity 2026: who is Jack Skipper, the jungle unknown who went from carpet fitter to comedy star?

While Wayne Rooney might be the big name in 2026's I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! line-up, there’s also some stars many viewers will have never heard of before.

Possibly the key ‘jungle unknown’ for this series is Jack Skipper, who admits he’ll be ‘starstruck’ in camp.

When the show kicks off on Monday, 16 November, the 38-year-old will be joined by a cast including the likes of Ade Adepitan, AJ Odudu, Sharky and Joanna Page.

As he rubs shoulders with the various actors, presenters and superstar footballer in I’m A Celeb, Skipper comes from humble beginnings after starting his career as a carpet fitter.

Nowadays, the bloke from Sutton, London, is a successful stand-up comedian with a tour already set for next year, Nothing Heavy.

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Skipper says he'll be 'starstruck' in camp. (ITV)

Jack Skipper’s career

When the I’m A Celeb star left school, he had no qualifications and became a carpet fitter. He’s previously joked that he was ‘the 14th best carpet fitter in the Croydon area’.

But nowadays he’s a ‘full-time comedian and internet sensation’.

Skipper apparently took a stand-up comedy course in February 2020 and then ended up pursuing it full-time.

That led to him being a runner-up in the So You Think You’re Funny? Competition in 2022 and then winning Best Debut Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival Awards in 2024.

Skipper also hosted his podcast, get to the Good Stuff with Jack Skipper in that time and previously made appearance on ITV2’s The Stand Up Sketch Show.

Having performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he made his debut appearance on Live at the Apollo earlier this year.

Having toured with his show Skint, Skipper might not be the most well-known campmate on I’m A Celeb this year, but that certainly doesn’t mean he’s totally unknown.

He’s got a whopping 517,000 followers on Instagram 26,500 YouTube subscribers and 545,800 TikTok followers with a mega 19.7 million likes.

Skipper has achieved a lot in the last few years. (Instagram/mrjackskipper)

Jack Skipper says I’m A Celeb will be 'crazy'

Skipper says it’s ‘mad’ that he’s going to be on the show and that he ‘didn’t have to give it a second thought’ when he was approached.

“I am most excited about mixing with a good bunch,” he said.

“I was fitting carpets a few years ago, so I will be a bit starstruck when I am in camp. It’s crazy. It is going to be a very surreal, ‘pinch me’ moment standing in front of Ant & Dec in camp. I don’t think it will sink in until I am there.”

Although, Skipper reckons he’ll probably struggle with the camping as his normal holiday is ‘an all-inclusive hotel in Malaga’.

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And while he’s scared of creepy crawlies and snakes, he doesn’t have any fears of the famous I'm A Celeb eating trials.

“I would most like to do the eating trial,” he admitted. “I am never going to have another opportunity to eat testicles, so let’s do it! I’ve also jumped out of a plane before and that was a great experience.”

Skipper can’t even imagine what it would be like to win as it’s ‘very far-fetched’ to even get to that point at the moment.

“This whole experience is going to be amazing,” he said. “I don’t like to think too far ahead. My strategy is to try and enjoy my time there and enjoy every moment. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! starts Monday 16 November, 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX