I'm A Celebrity stars face new poisonous challenge as critters that can KILL invade camp

I’M A Celebrity’s Australian jungle camp is under attack from an explosion of poisonous cane toads.

If any of the disturb the pests, they can squirt toxins into their eyes causing pain and vision problems. And if anyone touches the amphibian with their bare hands, its milky venom - secreted through its glands - will seep through human skin and can affect the heart and breathing. A source said: “As if there weren’t enough things for the campers to worry about like spiders, snakes and ticks, now it looks like they’ll have to keep an eye out for armies of these poisonous pests.

“They love ponds so the jungle creek and even the famous shower area will need to be monitored closely.” Environmental experts have been kept busy this year as the cane toad's population in ’s Gold Coast - where the show is filmed - has soared.

Wet and humid weather have created the ideal conditions for the frisky amphibians to mate and one female can lay up to 35,000 ''toadlet'' eggs. Workers have been trying to keep the deadly reddish-brown croakers under control.

In addition to the harm they can cause humans, the toads can kill animals including , snakes and even crocodiles with their toxins. Since many Australian residents have not helped get rid of the warty warriors, numbers have increased.

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A ‘"Great Cane Toad Bust"’ is planned for January next year calling on householders to join forces to help reduce the numbers by carefully catching them with gloves and disposing of them humanely.

But for now, teams are currently working to try to remove as many cane toads as possible including in regions such as Dungay Creek in Murwillumbah where the TV jungle camp site is situated.

The invasion will be bad news for the likes of WAG , star and ex-footballer Ally McCoist who are all tipped to have signed for the show.

A source said: “All the stars are given strict and in-depth talks about the wildlife they could come face to face with out there and how to deal with them for safety reasons. Bushtucker Trials will seem like a picnic though."

Kelsi Taylor, who is invasive species manager for Watergum Community Inc which looks after a cane toad control programme on The Gold Coast, said: “They are widespread across Murwillumbah, including Dungay Creek.

“They are toxic at every life stage which makes them a threat to our native wildlife. They also have huge appetites and are known to eat insects, native frog tadpoles and eggs, native bird eggs, and even small mammals.

“Cane toads can be removed with gloves and a bucket. We do not recommend removing them with your bare hands to avoid contact with their toxic parotoid glands.”

The cane toads have also been causing havoc on local courses and interrupting games.

IT worker Simon Middap said there have been so many this year that golfers had struggled to find a spot to place their balls. He added: “Golf courses are classic breeding grounds – toads love it.” Golfing has been a favourite past-time for show hosts Ant and Dec after they had finished filming each day.

The 24th series of I’m A Celebrity is due to start on Sunday November 17 on ITV. Bosses are also bringing back a nightly companion show called I’m A Celebrity: Unpacked on ITV2 hosted by Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett alongside Capital radio DJ Kemi Rodgers and reigning “King of the Jungle” .

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