It’s the survival show famed for pushing its stars to the brink.

And now an insider has revealed an embarrassing security fail that came close to spoiling a past season of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here before it even went to air.

The cringe-worthy incident occurred after a contestant ‘went feral’ and disappeared from his South African hotel room just ahead of filming.

The missing celebrity athlete was later found drinking and enjoying local hospitality in a pub.

Since the star was a well-known face, his appearance in public jeopardised the show’s ‘surprise factor’ in which most of the cast are kept under wraps until the season premiere.

An insider has revealed an embarrassing security fail that came close to spoiling a past season of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here before it even went to air. Pictured: 2024 hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris.

Alex Mavroidakis, ITV’s Supervising Executive Producer for the series told news.com.au that the incident happened on the show a few years ago – but would not name the contestant.

‘He went missing and was found in a local pub at about 11 o’clock at night by our security team,’ he said in an interview on Saturday. ‘

‘Our team knew a lot of locals and started ringing all the places that this Australian sportsman may have frequented, and one of the people, he said, ”Yep, he’s in this pub”.’

The cringe-worthy incident occurred after a contestant ‘went feral’ and disappeared from his South African hotel room just ahead of filming a few years ago reported News.com on Saturday. Pictured: A scene from as recent episode of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here. 

‘So we went and retracted him. I had to have a very stern word with him.’

Elsewhere in the chat, Mavroidakis explained the tough security measure that are in place ahead of production.

These include keeping the identity of the contestants secret from other cast members before they all arrive in the African jungle.

None of the celebrities share the same hotel and they are booked on different flights when travelling.

Alex Mavroidakis, ITV ’s Supervising Executive Producer for the series told News .com that the incident happened on the show a few years ago – but would not name the contestant.

Mavroidakis added that the cast are also blindfolded before they enter the camp for filming.

Hosted by Juila Morris and Robert Irwin, this season of the hit show features AFL legend Peter Daicos, Hollywood actor Frankie Muniz, Australian radio host Brittany Hockley and former iron-woman Candice Warner, wife of Australian cricketer David Warner.

Also in the cast are retired Paralympian Ellie Cole, British comedian Stephen K. Amos, influencer Skye Wheatley and former Studio 10 host Tristan MacManus.

Rounding out the cast are fitness guru Michelle Bridges, reality star Callum Hole, and MasterChef contestant Khanh Ong.