Fans slam the cast of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! after the cash-strapped show failed to snare pop star Mel B

Fans have slammed the cast of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Her! after the cash-strapped show failed to snare pop star Mel B.

Reports surfaced last week that the 49-year-old former Spice Girl was ready to sign onto the survival show for a hefty $500,000 but pulled out at the last minute.

According to a network insider, Mel was 'replaced' by Brit TikTok star and funnyman Max Balegde.

'Melanie Brown was supposed to be the English international on the show,' the source told Yahoo Lifestyle last Wednesday. 

'Mel wasn’t put off by ''the jungle'' life and would have been happy to share the campsite with her former [Masked Singer] co-host Hughesy, but pulled out for personal reasons.

'The money was right, the opportunity right, but sometimes these things fall over.'

'The show is called I’m A Celebrity, not guess who I am!' one viewer moaned about the cast who did make it into the jungle, including beloved Australian actress Sigrid Thornton and high-profile comedian Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes.

Another appeared to throw shade on former Married At First Sight bride Samantha Moitzi and Love Island star Tina Provis, who are also in South Africa this year.   

'Past participants of reality TV shows are not celebrities,' they complained.

One viewer seemed to be responding to recent reports that indicate that the creators have drastically reduced the money spent on producing the show.

'Obviously, with all the budget cuts, this is all Ten could afford,' they said.

'May I remind you – quality is better than quantity.'

A Channel 10 spokesperson responded to questions about the casting of Mel B, saying they would not 'confirm or deny' any casting.

They said: 'Figuring out who the campmates will be for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is one of the biggest guessing games in the country with the rumours now continuing even after they’re announced. 

'But just as we do every year, we can neither confirm nor deny our celebrity casting process and welcome all speculation..

Meanwhile, a Channel 10 spokesperson dismissed speculation over budget cuts to IAC.

They said: 'The rumour mill is rife this year for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! spilling over into production budgets now but just like conjecture over the celebrities in (or out of) camp, it is pure rumour and speculation.'

According to Yahoo, Dave Hughes is the biggest earner of the 2025 series, taking home $250,000 in a lucrative deal. 

This is worlds away from the big earners in previous years, with Shane Warne reportedly banking a huge $2million back in 2015.

Cast members Matty 'J' Johnson, Sam Thaiday and Shayna Jack are said to have nabbed two-week deals worth $100,000 to $175,000, and will earn an extra $5,000 for each extra day they stay on the show.

In the middle pay bracket, TikTok star Max Balegde and Big Brother Australia star Reggie Bird are reportedly being paid $100,000 each.

MAFS star Samantha Moitzi and Love Island's Tina Provis are said to be the lowest earners, with deals worth between $35,000 and $60,000 in a notable decrease from previous years.

An insider said of the 'cheap' salaries: 'There's just nowhere near as much money in free-to-air television as there used to be.'

Other celebrities making up the 2025 cast include footballer Zach Tuohy, comedian Geraldine Hickey and TV host Nicky Buckley.

Channel 10 declined to comment over the salaries when approached by Daily Mail Australia.