I'm a Celebrity 2016: Shane Warne confirmed as star contestant

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I'm a Celebrity 2016: Shane Warne confirmed as star contestant

By Josh Dye
Updated

Cricket legend Shane Warne has been confirmed as a contestant on Channel Ten's hit show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

After weeks of speculation, Warne was finally revealed during the last few minutes of Sunday night's premiere.

Shane Warne.

Shane Warne.Credit: Getty Images

His participation is a coup for the show, now in its second season in Australia, which has received criticism for not attracting A-list celebrities. Social media users took to Twitter to mock the celebrity status of some of the lesser known participants.

One contestant, singer Anthony Callea, even admitted he didn't know a fellow contestant, three-time ironwoman champion Courtney Hancock.

"I'm trying not to be rude because I don't know Courtney. But I don't want to ask her to her face," Callea said.

Apart from Warne, Callea and Hancock, the other celebrities revealed on the show were comedian Akmal Saleh, former British dancer Bonnie Lythgoe, former NRL captain Paul Harragon, television personality Jo Beth Taylor, actress Val Lehman, former AFL footballer Brendan Fevola, DJ and artist Havana Brown, actor Dean Geyer and Bachelorette contestant Laurina Fleure.

Lehman, the oldest contestant, seemed unfazed by the show's challenges. "Creepy crawlies don't scare me very much. I've had to cope with a few in my time. I married one once!" she said.

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It was reported last week that Warne had a 'no spider eating' clause inserted in his contract. His arachnophobia is well-publicised following an ad in 2014 where he shrieked and left the room when a bird-eating spider was put on a plate in front of him.

The winner of I'm a Celebrity will choose a charity to donate their prizemoney. One Twitter user cheekily asked which charity Shane Warne would donate to if he won, referring to the cricket star's recent decision to shut down his embattled charity, the Shane Warne Foundation.

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