Joel Dommett exits I'm a Celebrity Unpacked as ITV confirms return
Joel Dommett will not return as host of I'm a Celebrity... Unpacked when the ITV2 spin-off comes back this autumn. ITV confirmed the companion show's return on ITV2 and ITVX, with Sam Thompson and Kemi Rodgers remaining as presenters while Dommett steps away to spend time with his family.
The exit is the major change in an otherwise familiar format. For fans following celebrity breaking news, the update settles the biggest question around the jungle companion show: Unpacked is back, but without its original lead host.
Key Takeaways
- ITV has confirmed I'm a Celebrity... Unpacked will return this autumn on ITV2 and ITVX.
- Joel Dommett is leaving as main presenter after co-hosting since November 2024.
- Sam Thompson and Kemi Rodgers will front the 2026 series together.
- Dommett said he wants to stay home with his wife and two sons, including a baby born this year.
- Unpacked will also return as a vodcast on ITVX, Spotify and YouTube, plus an audio podcast.
Why is Joel Dommett leaving I'm a Celebrity Unpacked?
According to Digital Spy, Dommett addressed his exit on Instagram with a farewell to hosting the extra show. He joked that it was "not because of the restraining order," then said he had been "super lucky" to be part of the franchise since appearing as a contestant a decade ago.
He revealed he has chosen to "stay at home" with his wife, Hannah Cooper, and their two sons. One of their children was born this year. Dommett first competed on I'm a Celebrity in 2016 and began presenting Unpacked in November 2024 alongside Thompson and Rodgers.
Who will host I'm a Celebrity Unpacked in 2026?
ITV confirmed that former King of the Jungle Sam Thompson and Capital radio DJ Kemi Rodgers will host the new run. Thompson won the main series in 2023 and has co-hosted Unpacked since 2024. Rodgers returns with him for the class of 2026.
Thompson said he feels lucky to present on the show and cannot wait to deliver jungle gossip with Rodgers. Rodgers said she is "absolutely buzzing" that Unpacked is back and that the pair will bring backstage gossip live every night.
TV Zone UK reports that Ant & Dec will join the Unpacked presenters in studio to discuss the latest camp action from ITV1 and ITVX. Once vote-offs begin, eliminated campmates will appear fresh from the jungle for exclusive interviews.
When does I'm a Celebrity Unpacked return and where can you watch it?
ITV says the companion show will air this autumn on ITV2 and ITVX. It remains a nightly breakdown of camp drama, laughs, unseen clips and celebrity guests tied to the main I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! series.
Following an earlier format success, Unpacked will also return as a vodcast on ITVX, Spotify and YouTube, with an audio-only version on podcast platforms. Unpacked was one of ITV2's biggest series of 2025 and has been streamed more than four million times on ITVX.
For viewers, the headline is simple: the spin-off is confirmed for 2026, but Joel Dommett will not be in the hosting chair when it returns.