They entered camp on Sunday night, but have been in Australia preparing for the show for a number of weeks.
And the distance from her family proved too much for Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine on Monday night, as she broke down in the Bush Telegraph.
In heartbreaking scenes, the 33-year-old was seen struggling to fight back her tears as she discussed her husband Chris and her son Albert, three – and vowed to be ‘strong’ for them over the coming weeks.
‘I have to be strong’: Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine broke down on Monday’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, as she missed her family
The star, who is best known for playing Fiz Brown on the ITV soap, had been chatting to comedienne Shappi Khorsandi about her family when she suffered a wobble.
Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, she said: ‘I really like Shappi a lot. Me and her have both got little ones, her little girl is 4 and my little boy is 3.’
However, the thought of her son Albert struck a chord inside her, and tears soon began to form in her eyes.
Heartbreak: Attempting to hold back her tears, she said: ‘We’re trying not to talk about it too much, missing home and the little ones’
Attempting to hold it together, she continued: ‘We’re trying not to talk about it too much, missing home and the little ones.’
She later returned to the Bush Telegraph to explain why she had got upset – but the thought of her son so far away became too much, and she immediately broke down.
‘I got a bit teary in the loo,’ she explained. ‘I was just thinking about missing home and my little boy.
Strong: However, after the minor blip, the actress went on to admit she planned to stay strong for her son, and instead focused on how much fun he will be having with her husband Chris
‘It’s hard to know what to talk about because if you talk about it, like now…’ she said, before hesitating as the tears began to stream down her face.
However, after the minor blip, the actress went on to admit she planned to stay strong for her son, and instead focused on how much fun he will be having with her husband Chris.
She said of her departure for the jungle: ‘Albert didn’t quite get the concept of where I was going so I said I was off to work and there might be crocodiles which he thought was really strange. So I bought him a toy one to cuddle!
‘I absolutely know Daddy and Albert will be having the best time together and they’ll be having loads of fun, so yeah, I have to brave for them.’
Jennie confirmed she had secretly tied the knot with her long term partner Chris Farr back in January.
The actress shared a snapshot of herself and her new husband’s hands complete with wedding rings on Twitter, writing: ‘So, we went to Trafford Town Hall earlier this week and had a bit of a special day.’
Chris and Jennie have been together since 2005, and welcomed little Albert in November 2014.
The couple both run Manchester restaurant and teashop Annie’s – opening the eatery in 2012.
Shappi also spoke about how she was missing her family on the episode – and gushed that son Cassius and daughter Genevieve were her best friends, as well as her kids.
She said: ‘I just miss my children as they’re the people I have the most fun with. Nothing is as much fun if they’re not there and I think that’s perfectly natural, as it should be.’
Doting mother: Shappi also spoke about how she was missing her family on the episode – and gushed that son Cassius and daughter Genevieve were her best friends, as well as her kids