Full Celebrity Bear Hunt line-up as Holly Willoughby show launches

Holly Willoughby's much-anticipated jungle-based Netflix show with Bear Grylls has finally hit screens, dropping a cast of celebrities into the Costa Rican jungle.

The star-studded cast of 12 features the likes of Mel B, Shirley Ballas and Boris Becker as they take on a brand new format that sees them learn survival skills from Bear Grylls that they'll then have to put to use.

Celebrity Bear Hunt, which launched on 5 February, is a twist on Grylls' usual celebrity adventure shows as the cast become “prey” for Grylls and are hunted by him in what’s been described as a “brutal game of cat and mouse”.

These are the 12 brave stars who headed out to the Costa Rican jungle for the first series of Netflix's new show:

Mel B

Mel B had to rely on her “scary” side for the challenging new series. The Spice Girls singer – aka Scary Spice – is no shrinking violet but will she be a match for Grylls in the jungle?

She might have something of an ace up her sleeve as she previously got to know Grylls in his TV series Running Wild, where they spent time together in Wales and he taught her some of his survival techniques.

The episode of the show that she was in saw them tackling lots of challenging terrain together and, unforgettably, chart star Mel urinated on Grylls’ hand after he was stung by a jellyfish, which some people believe alleviates the pain.

Will she have learned enough from him to beat the expert at his own game? She said of reuniting with the adventurer: "I have a soft spot for Bear Grylls and I have done one of his shows before, in Wales. It was at a time, in 2016, when I hadn’t actually seen my family for a long time because I was in a very abusive, coercive marriage. When I heard about this show I thought - I’d love to do a show with him again since I’ve now left that situation. I feel like I’m now not hiding behind anything, I’m in a different place in my life. It will be nice to reconnect, having gone through something so horrific to now being more happy and more focused."

It isn't just Grylls that Mel needs to worry about, though - in one tense episode, she can be seen sinking in crocodile-infested waters.

Steph McGovern

Steph McGovern took on a fresh challenge after the end of her talk show Steph’s Packed Lunch. The show started in 2020 amid the coronavirus lockdowns but in 2023 it was announced that it was coming to an end, with Channel 4 explaining that audience habits were "changing quicker than ever" and that "difficult decisions" had to be made.

However, the journalist and former BBC Breakfast reporter has shown she's nothing if not adaptable - she is still a regular on TV and has also shown she is up for a little reality TV, with a stint on The Masked Dancer under her belt.

McGovern could be one to watch as she says she has no phobias and is used to challenges: "Becoming a parent was a pretty big challenge - still is every day, so that’s a big challenge. I’ve done The Great North Run, I’ve done hostile environment training with helicopters and things through work such as learning how to escape from a helicopter that gets trapped under water, that type of thing. I’ve done rally car racing…I’d forgotten I’d even done that, until someone told me the other day. I love fast things. I love fast cars and jet skis, so anything that’s fast!

Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas is likely to bring some humour to the situation, although his survival skills are yet to be tested. The comedian and actor is best known for playing Simon Cooper in The Inbetweeners series and its spin-off films, racking up a huge fanbase for the hilarious role.

Since then he has popped up on the odd game show, like Taskmaster and Richard Osman's House Of Games and he has also worked on the big screen in films including The Festival and We Are Not Alone.

Thomas admitted he had no interest in being in charge of camp: "I’m not a team leader. I don’t want there to be conflict, I want everyone to be getting along and having a laugh and I’m going to be like a willing foot soldier."

However, he may have underestimated the show as he added: "I don’t think that the physical side of it is going to be overwhelmingly difficult for anyone. I think it’s going to be about listening and focusing but I suppose I have a relatively active life anyway so I’m kind of trusting that side of things will be okay. I know that my weaknesses are not on the physical side but to do with getting stressed and getting anxious so I’m trying to really focus on that."

Shirley Ballas

What does Shirley Ballas do in the Strictly off season? She goes on the run from Bear Grylls in the Costa Rican jungle.

Ballas is no slouch when it comes to taking on daring adventures. When she’s not perched on the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel, she’s taken on a fair few challenges like skydiving in aid of a suicide prevention charity and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief.

She might be the oldest contestant and used to the glamorous life, but don't underestimate Ballas - she said: "I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro, I’ve jumped out of aeroplanes for men’s mental health. So, I do a lot of challenges and whilst I get a bit nervous inside, I never show it. Fear is not something I show."

Talking about her Comic Relief Kilimanjaro climb, she added that it had got her used to being uncomfortable: "We went through four seasons. It was hot, it was cold, there were tree rats the size of your feet, insects, bugs, you name it.

"We had to sleep in small tents, there was only one toilet, there was nowhere to shower, you had to wash your hair in a bowl. That was very challenging. I emerged from that a much better person for nature, I feel.

Danny Cipriani

Danny Cipriani found fame as a rugby player which could give him a bit of an edge as he is pitted against Grylls in the jungle. It would certainly make him one of the tougher celebs to tackle to the ground.

The show could prove to be timely for Cipriani, as recently there were reports that he was actually in the frame to be on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! However, that series came and went without him making an appearance.

He does have other reality TV experience, having got his waltz on for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special 2023.

Despite being super-fit and claiming to have no phobias, Cipriani said: "I didn’t think I’d ever do a show like this. When I was an athlete, I was written about as a celebrity and I hated it because it seemed to stop me from playing for my country. So I kind of resisted it but then when I retired…and then I get offered an opportunity like this which doesn’t come around often.

"My journey has been so public, I’m continuing on a path where I have learned a few things along the way and I’m looking forward to continuing to do that and express that through art or fun or joy."

Boris Becker

Former tennis pro Boris Becker is making his return to the public eye as a contestant on Celebrity Bear Hunt and has admitted that he is a Bear Grylls super fan.

Becker rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 90s and enjoyed a successful career as one of the world's leading tennis players.

However, years later he was charged and ultimately jailed for tax evasion offences and eventually declared bankruptcy in 2017. After receiving a two-and-a-half-year sentence, Becker was released early in 2022.

Becker alluded to his time in prison as he said: "I’m one the oldest participants so I’ve had a very intense and at times a very public life. I’ve had unbelievable moments and I’ve had really bad moments. In hindsight I’m glad that I’ve had all these experiences. It makes me humble; it makes me maybe a little bit wiser. I’ve learnt that not through books but through my own experiences – the good and the bad and the ugly."

It seems that Celebrity Bear Hunt might have been an uncomfortable reminder of his loss of freedom as asked what he would miss most during the series, he said: "The comfort of my home. I’m going to miss my fiancé and my freedom. You know you’re not in control of the day here, everyone tells you what to do 24/7."

Leomie Anderson

Model Leomie Anderson has walked in her fair share of Victoria's Secret shows - but she'll need to run in her latest project as she tries to escape Grylls.

Anderson will also be familiar to Glow Up viewers as she replaced Maya Jama as host for the 2023 series, and she has also been seen in Celebrity Gogglebox.

She said ahead of the series: "I hope to take away a new sense of self and a new sense of self strength., When you’re put in an environment that you’re not really used to or that you’ve never experienced before, you don’t actually know how you’re going to react. So I’m excited to see how I am in a completely new and foreign environment. I’m just hoping that I come across well, and that in this high pressure environment I stay true to myself and stay true to my positive character."

Talking about her biggest challenge in life, the model shared: "I would say probably one of the most challenging experiences of my life was becoming the guardian of my cousins for two years. That was very challenging, but also very rewarding because I basically became a parent overnight. It taught me a lot of skills that I’ll bring to Bear Hunt like patience, resilience, understanding, working as a team, working with your community as well."

Lottie Moss

Kate Moss's younger sister is also a star in her own right, having picked up plenty of modelling work herself after being spotted as a bridesmaid at the supermodel's wedding.

She has now moved her career over to OnlyFans, but gets a more mainstream role in the Netflix series.

Moss said she was hoping to overcome phobias and bolster her self-confidence on the show: "I’ve been through a lot in the past few years and I just want to do something that I can be proud of and maybe think to myself wow, you took this on and you actually did it. I’m very self-critical and doubtful but if I can prove to myself I can do these sorts of things it will boost my self-esteem."

She added: "I’ve struggled a lot mentally so that’s probably the biggest challenge of my life really. I think this is more physical though and it’s quite exciting."

Big Zuu

Rapper and singer Big Zuu, also known as Zuhair Hassan, has a parallel career as a TV chef and is famed for his Big Eats series.

How will he cope with the menu in the jungle? The star made a documentary about going on a pilgrimage last year, but admitted that this was a whole other level of being outside his comfort zone.\

"It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with Bear Grylls himself and I never thought I’d ever do a reality programme but Netflix, Bear Grylls – it screams a level of excellence," he said. "That attracted me. I’m really comfortable in my life, deep in my comfort zone so I felt like it would be a good opportunity to step out!"

He added: "I don’t really go on a lot of excursions. I’m more of a lover of food, as a chef. When I travel, I’m not really looking to do the zipline or a hike, I’m more about the restaurants and stuff so I’m definitely out of my comfort zone. I am an adventurous person though, in that I like doing stuff that I’ve never done before."

Una Healy

Former Saturdays singer Una Healy is stepping outside of her comfort zone with the tough physical challenge.

Healy has previously taken part in celebrity diving contest Splash! and in recent years has said she would be up for a reunion of The Saturdays, but for the moment survival is the main thing on her mind as she enters Bear Hunt.

It's a mixed bag when it comes to how well Healy thinks she will do on the show - on the one hand, she was a champion swimmer and competitive runner as a child, but on the other, she's terrified of spiders...

"I would say I’m quite an adventurous person. I love cold water swimming and I’m not scared of going on a roller coaster. I’ve done a parachute jump before. I used to be a champion swimmer when I was a child. Then there are the things I am not great with - I am terrified of spiders to be honest."

She added of her phobias: "Spiders, creepy crawlies. I wouldn’t want to have a pet tarantula in a cage at home, you know? Yeah, so much so that I’ll ask my little nine-year-old to take this spider out if I find one in the kitchen or something. He’s like 'Yeah, no problem.' So hopefully, I’ll overcome that fear."

Kola Bokinni

Ted Lasso actor Kola Bokinni is no stranger to an adventure - last year, he was one of the popular stars of BBC's Celebrity Race Across the World and he's also done Marine training which involved flying in helicopters at night.

In the BBC travel series Bokinni was teamed up with his cousin, but this time it's every celebrity for themselves as he tries to survive the jungle.

Bokinni is sure to have picked up a tip or two about making the most of less-than-ideal conditions from his previous reality TV role and shared that he definitely has the adventurous nature the show needs.

He said: "I’m never home. I’m not a homebody. I’m always living out of a suitcase. I’m always here, there, and everywhere but always at the end of a phone call.

"This year I’ve been to South America already and I’ve also travelled between then and now. I’m a person who likes to embrace life, I’m a person who loves to think that my cup is half full but I’m always eager to seek that next thing. If I was to describe myself in a few words one of those would certainly be adventurous."

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Interior designer, painter and TV star Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is usually known for his love of fancy outfits, so he might not be as immediately recognisable in his boilersuit.

The star had previously shrugged off I'm A Celebrity as not being for him, so we're intrigued to see what it was about the super-tough Netflix show that managed to change his mind.

He said: "I am actually (adventurous), really more than anything, because everyone assumes I’m going to be a terrible ponce, but actually then understands that, I am in fact, a lot harder than I look. And I do feel that, not that I’ve ever felt I needed to prove anything to anybody on television, but I like the idea of proving stuff to myself and operating outside of my tailoring.

"I assumed I’d get some kind of Roger Moore Safari suit, you know, maybe with a kind of chiffon cravat or something. I didn’t know I’d be in Velcro for God’s sake! I’ve never worn so few seams in my life, literally, like one seam all around, probably not since a babygro."

However, Llewelyn-Bowen's claims of being adventurous are challenged by scenes of him having to be helped out of the water spluttering.

Celebrity Bear Hunt will debut on Netflix on 5 February