Noel Edmonds to join I'm A Celebrity line-up, and he'll be the highest-paid contestant ever

Noel Edmonds has emerged as a surprise campmate to join the I'm A Celebrity jungle.

The ex-Deal Or No Deal presenter will be joining the likes of football manager Harry Redknapp, The Chase's Anne Hegerty and actor John Barrowman in Australia.

The former host of Noel's House Party will be one of the biggest names on the ITV show, fronted by Declan Donnelly and this year Holly Willoughby. According to a report in The Sun, Edmonds will be paid ￡600,000 - the biggest payday ever for an I'm A Celebrity contestant.

Ten contestants were announced for the hit show on Monday. In 2017 Edmonds said he came close to taking his own life after falling victim to financial fraud.

In 2016 he came under fire after claiming that an electromagnetic pulse machine, EMPpad, "tackles cancer".

A source said: "He'll have a huge amount of fun. Noel is all about TV. He knows, going in, what it takes to make great television. "They tried to get him in last year. Noel is looking very fit and looking forward to it."

While Edmonds' fee has not been disclosed, the source said it "won't be a small amount" and added that the stint in the jungle would be "great visibility" as he prepares for his court case against Lloyds.

Now in its 18th series, the programme will see long-term presenter Ant McPartlin absent for the first time.

He and his presenting partner Donnelly have hosted the show since it began in 2002, but he is taking a break from his TV jobs following his arrest for drink-driving earlier this year.

Other celebrities taking part this year include DIY SOS host Nick Knowles, pop stars James McVey of The Vamps and Fleur East, former EastEnders star Rita Simons, Coronation Street actress Sair Khan, Inbetweeners actress Emily Atack and Hollyoaks actor Malique Thompson-Dwyer.