Martha Kalifatidis has turned down an offer to join the 2025 cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! despite being tempted by a lucrative paycheck for a brief stint in the South African jungle.
A production insider has told Daily Mail Australia that producers have been courting the Married at First Sight alum for years, but she ultimately decided against it.
‘They’ve been trying to recruit Martha for ages,’ the source said before adding that Channel 10 threw $80,000 but she still said no.
‘Producers were so desperate they were willing to negotiate flexible terms about how long she needed to stay on the show, and advantages during the challenges.
‘They said that she didn’t need to participate in any tasks that involved snakes and didn’t need to put anything in her mouth that she didn’t want to.
‘She’s always been at the top of their wishlist, but she’s cautious about how it might affect her image.
‘Martha has worked so hard on her image and doesn’t want to do any damage to her public persona.’
Martha, who previously declined a similar offer in 2022, admitted that her decision this year was made with guidance from her management team.
‘My manager told me, “They’re just going to pick on you. You’ll be the ‘beauty girl’ under a magnifying glass,”‘ Martha explained.
She also revealed that Channel Seven had approached her to join Big Brother. ‘They even asked me about doing Big Brother,’ she shared in a recent podcast interview. ‘I was like, “Are they even doing a celebrity version?”‘
While Martha won’t be making an appearance, the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity is already fuelling excitement with its tantalising list of clues, hinting at a star-studded lineup.
Among the rumoured contestants is viral Olympic breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn, whose athletic prowess and vibrant personality could light up the jungle.
A production insider told Daily Mail Australia that ‘Raygun has been a top target since she went viral. Initially, her team turned it down, but now she’s realising this could be her last big chance to cash in – six-figure offers like this won’t come around again.’
Another name in the mix is MasterChef Australia judge and Dessert Masters host Melissa Leong.
With rumours swirling that Dessert Masters won’t return for a third season, Channel 10 is reportedly keen to keep Melissa on the network.
‘What we’ve seen in the past with Ten’s network talent is that if their flagship show gets axed, they get offered a substantial paycheck to join the jungle,’ an insider claimed.
‘It happened with Tristan McManus last year after Studio 10 was cancelled. Melissa could be next.’
Adding to the speculation, I’m A Celebrity teased the addition of a ‘Mega Movie Star’ on their Instagram.
The announcement has since sparked guesses that it could be Aussie screen icon Sigrid Thornton or even Sabrina the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart, who was approached last year but couldn’t make scheduling work.
‘Melissa Joan Hart is a great retro name, and Ten would splash out for her,’ a source revealed. ‘They’ll blow the budget on one or two big names.’
Footy fans could also be in for a treat, with AFL heartthrob Bailey Smith another name tipped to enter the jungle.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here returns to screens on January 19 on Channel 10.
