However, the famous veterinarian says the contestants shouldn’t worry about the creepy crawlies.
“Let’s not forget the biggest challenge often isn’t the scaly creatures,” Brown adds. “It’s the other celebrities! And we’ve got some tricky ones on their way.”
Here, Brown and co-host Julia Morris, 52, fill us in on what to expect in 2021 …
What are the advantages of filming in Oz?
MORRIS: We won’t be just close to home but actually home – on home soil. Home cooking will be fun, and being close the beach instead of a three-hour flight away from the surf.
If you had to devise your own challenge for the show, what would it be and why?
MORRIS: I would love to devise a raspberry bullet eating challenge. I can knock off a few packets in front of the [TV] any night of the week, but I’m always interested to see how many packets I could consume.
BROWN: Without a doubt, the lack of food would be my undoing. Obviously, I’m fine with the critters as they’re often patients. But I’d struggle with patiently waiting for something that wasn’t an ostrich anus or impala testicle … I’ve already devised my own challenge for the show: it’s working with Julia every day. You can never be too sure where each episode in the tree house is going to go!
What do you think will surprise the viewers in the Aussie season?
MORRIS: I think filming in northern New South Wales will change everything. This is a show the fans and the celebrity contestants think they will know. This year everything has been turned on its head, so this will give the survival reality show a Season 1 feeling. I’m so excited to see how it will be for our celebrities.
BROWN: The very fact that we’re testing out the extremes of our own jungle with the most extreme celebrity personalities we could pack into the show’s camp means it’s going to be different. Plus, this is the same location that has tormented 18 seasons worth of British celebs. Let’s hope we prove to be tougher than them on home turf!
What’s next for you after the show? A long holiday? More work?
MORRIS: After 32 weeks of lockdown this year and four weeks of solitary quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, I will be looking forward to spending time beyond the gate of my house. It’s been a long and difficult year for everyone I know and we’re all just looking forward to getting together and having a few laughs. We really need it.
BROWN: Finally a break! There’s a beach with my name on it (not literally, that would be incredibly impractical and a little too showy) that I’ll be lying on once I’m done. And maybe some sleep …
I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! Season 7 premieres Sun., Jan. 3, 7.30pm on Network Ten and 10 Play
