I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here gets underway on Sunday evening and James Buttler and Jonny Baxandall take a look at the best bets for King or Queen of the Jungle.
It's not just sporting previews that we do on Betting Radio, we're also going to be looking at TV markets, anything else that comes along that we can have a bet on.
Who are the 2024 unknowns?
James: We've got the runners and riders and we look at who we know and who we don't know. Is there anybody on the list of 12 that you had no idea about?
Jonny: Yes, absolutely. The first thing I thought was, who is Dean McCullogh? Radio One is not my programme of choice. Never heard of him before. 14/1 best price with Betway and I don't fancy it to be honest. And 4/1 for top three? No, not for me.
James: It was Dean McCullogh for me and also Melvin Odoom, who's an outsider in this market. They're both Radio One presenters and I don't listen to Radio One, I'm listening to Betting Radio.
Jonny: I have heard of Melvin, but I think I've seen him on TV rather than hearing him on the radio. A winner at 25/1 is probably a long shot. I don't fancy him as my outsider. But he might sneak into my top three, you know.
Who wins I’m A Celeb?
James: Okay, let's start with the winner. And I think we're going to agree on this.
Jonny: Yes, we are. Danny Jones for me. Can't see past McFly man. They've got pedigree in the competition, of course. Dougie, his bandmate, won it in 2011. McFly tend to win things, well, as individuals. The bandmates win competitions. I want to say Harry won Strictly, I couldn't tell you what year, and I'm sure Tom's done other bits here and there. So yes, at 5/2 with Ladbrokes and Coral, I can't see past it. I'd take that price now.
James: And take it now before it gets shorter, because it's only going to get shorter. He's not going to get voted out. You're not going to get longer odds than that. And he seems to be a nice fella as well. Sometimes they say that you go in the jungle and then the real you comes out. But he just seems to be quite a nice chap. I think he's going to be quite funny. He'll do the tasks. He'll throw himself into it. That price of 5/2 - snap it up now before it disappears.
Jonny: I agree. Everyone knows the real Danny Jones already. And I don't think he's going to be any different in the jungle. Everyone likes him. He's a friendly northern chap. Got to be the winner.
James: You can sometimes, though, say that somebody that goes in with a high rep can only go down in people's estimations. But I don't see that with him.
Jonny: No, I honestly can't see it. I mean, I'd love to be tipping big odds. But not for this one.
The outside picks
James: When it comes to the outsiders, there's maybe a little bit more debate here for somebody that might just maybe creep into the top three or surprise a few.
Jonny: My outside fancy is Reverend Richard Coles. I've seen 33/1 with William Hill. And honestly, I'm going to take that. You know, people will say, who's Richard Coles? But when they see his face, they'll have seen him on other TV shows. He's done the rounds a little bit. And he strikes me as a good, nice chap. I don't think he's going to fall out with anyone. I think he's going to actually be more amusing than you would think a reverend would be. He's obviously got a TV personality. I think at 33/1, he's a good outsider. And you can get him at 7/1 for the top three.
James: There's a few in here, the likes of Maura Higgins, Colleen Rooney, and Tulisa, who might just kind of maybe just grate on each other. There might be a few fireworks. We always like to see that in the jungle. He could be the peacemaker, couldn't he?
Jonny: Well, that's exactly my thinking. I think he will keep the camp harmony together. And they always talk about it in the exit interviews and when asked who they want to win and people throw out the nicest person in the camp. And I think that will be Rev Richard.
Potential jungle fireworks?
Jonny: On your point about arguments, I think Tulisa's probably fiery. I think she's going to fall out with people. I don't fancy her winning at 16/1. I actually think Barry McGuigan, the former boxing champion, is probably going to be a bit fiery himself. I think he's going to fall out with people. I think when you're a competitive person and you're in that strained environment that we know the jungle to be. I mean, it happened to Chris Eubank, right? He got a little bit touchy with other campmates. And I think Barry is going to be a bit nasty. Don't know why. I certainly don't fancy him at 66/1.
James: If this was done in 1994 or something, yeah. But I think there'll be the generation of people watching I'm A Celeb this time and a lot of them might have a clue who he is, despite the fact he got to the very top of his sport. He's going to be unknown to many.
Generational Split
Jonny: It's very interesting you say that because I'm thinking about the generational split. When you think about those, you think about GK Barry and Maura. I think GK Barry, her audience to me are not watching linear TV. I know she's obviously popular. She's got 800,000 followers on Instagram. I don't think that audience are watching ITV at nine o'clock every night. I think they're watching Instagram, right? I'm not having 6/1 second favourite. But Maura, third favourite, she's got nearly 4 million followers and she's obviously famous for Love Island in 2019. She's replicating what she did on Love Island actually in that it sounds like she's turning up to the jungle late. And she did the same on Love Island, but she finished in fourth in that series back in 2019. So, I think of her significant social following, a lot of them have come with her and probably are more inclined to watch linear TV or, you know, watch I'm a Celebrity. Well, certainly a top three at 9/4 with Skybet. Fancy the win and she’s 10/1 with Star Sports - a good prize.
James: It's a very sexist comment this, but we tend to kind of follow the Mylene Klass thing where they look good in a bikini underneath the waterfall. I think Maura Higgins will tick that box.
Can Oti Mabuse triumph?
James: My outsider is Oti Mabuse, who is the Strictly Come Dancing dancer and judge. Very bright and breezy, very entertaining, quite loud. She may go one of two ways, I think, in this competition. But if she does the right things and she speaks to the right people and she makes the jokes in the right places and they also give her enough coverage in the edit, I think she could creep through. Because I think the way this works sometimes is you get the winner - Danny Jones will probably sail through – and the final three is often somebody who is not necessarily people's favourites, but they don't want to see them go. They make the final three, then they're the third. They go out in the final. She’s 4/1 with BetFred to get to the final three. I think that she's got a big Strictly audience and that's one of the biggest shows on television.
Jonny: Yeah, it's whether they do translate. Honestly, I like your rationale, but yeah, you're not talking me into this one. I think Oti won't get the airtime. I think she'll probably be in a bit of a shell.
James: I guarantee there'll be a show where she's got them all dancing.
Jonny: Well, yeah. I mean, if she hasn't, then she hasn't hit her brief, right? I'm looking back and I've watched this since day one. I've been an I'm A Celebrity fan all the way through. I can't remember Strictly dancers doing that well. So no, I just don't fancy it. 12/1 to win isn’t long enough for me.
Top Three Predictions for I'm A Celebrity 2024
Jonny: Danny Jones, Melvin Odoom and Alan Halsall. Tyrone from Corrie, probably best known as. I'm A Celeb is on straight after Corrie. I think people won't switch over. He's got the ITV audience on his side. Add Richard, if I can have a top four.
James: Danny Jones, Alan Halsall and Maura Higgins. But it's going to be very, very interesting. I think this one's a good one. There are potential conflicts, potential friendships and we like to see how those develop.
James and Jonny will be back at intervals throughout I’m A Celebrity. Please always gamble responsibly.