'I'm a celebrity' contestants meet in jungle

The 10 contestants on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here have learned a little about the human jungle – by finally coming face to face with each other.

Despite the fact that they could be stuck together for two weeks, some of the show’s stars had never actually set eyes on each other.

But the celebrities sussed out their jungle companions yesterday in a meet and greet session held at a plush six-star hotel on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Today the personalities were being introduced to some other jungle companions - snakes, spiders and assorted creepy-crawlies.

One of the show’s personalities, former Sex Pistol John Lydon, almost didn’t turn up to meet glamour model Jordan, long-suffering Alex Best, ex-pop star Peter Andre, Kerry McFadden and the others.

The rocker had been suffering from severe jet-lag and when he finally stumbled into the champagne reception where the celebrities, including shamed aristocrat Lord Brocket, royal reporter Jennie Bond, ex-Olympic athlete Diane Modahl, soccer hardman Neil Ruddock and DJ Mike Read were gathered, he said: “Hello to anyone who’s interested.

“My name’s John and I’m jet-lagged.”

Before he arrived, Neil joked: “John’s too busy trashing the hotel to come” but 25-year-old Jordan defended the self-styled anarchist saying: “What’s the big deal? The man’s asleep, leave him alone.”

The 10 celebrities will leave behind life’s luxuries tomorrow for a spot of jungle survival training.

On Monday the team will finally be dropped by helicopter into the jungle and must trek to their base at the foot of a volcano.

Yesterday Kerry revealed she was taken into hospital with stress at the prospect of appearing on the ITV1 show.

The former Atomic Kitten star, now safely in Australia, was so nervous that she collapsed with crippling stomach pains days before flying out on a visit to her mother.

Kerry, married to Westlife’s Bryan McFadden and mother to their two children, said: “We were supposed to go out to the pub, but I threw up as soon as I got to my mum’s.

“They ended up rushing me to hospital with severe stomach pains and I was there for a day and a half.

“I made myself ill because I was so worried about leaving Bryan and my girls. My worst fear is that the British public will see me on TV and hate me.”