Silhouette of Tulisa on an I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! background
It’s been over a decade since the star was a main judge on The X Factor (Picture: Anthony Harvey/Rex/Shutterstock/ITV)

A former X Factor judge has been hotly tipped for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, and ITV bosses are apparently extremely ‘excited’ about the potential signing.

Every year, speculation is always rife over which celebrities are going to be cast in the line-up to enter the jungle, ready to take on all sorts of terrifying challenges.

Several names have already been rumoured for the 2024 season, including boxer Tommy Fury, former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and ex-Strictly Come Dancing pro Giovanni Pernice.

Now, 00s popstar and X Factor legend Tulisa Contostavlos – who first found fame in the hip hop trio N-Dubz – has been named as another contender.

‘Tulisa has been on ITV’s hit list for a while but until now she’s never wanted to consider it,’ a source told The Sun.

‘This year is a decade since she left The X Factor so she felt the time was right to return to the TV spotlight — the amazing reception to the N-Dubz reunion tour really helped build her confidence.’

Little Mix members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson with X Factor judge Tulisa
Tulisa mentored Little Mix the year that they won the ITV show (Picture: Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Rex Features)
N-Dubz members Dino 'Dappy' Contostavlos,Tulisa Contostavlos and Richard 'Fazer' Rawson
She first soared to fame in N-Dubz, alongside rappers Dappy and Fazer (Picture: Rex Features/Shutterstock)

The insider claimed that the ‘breadth’ of Tulisa’s career could mean that she’ll appeal to the ‘wide audience’ who tune in to watch I’m A Celebrity.

‘As well as everyone knowing her from The X Factor, her original music fanbase has boomed thanks to the N-Dubz reunion tour,’ they stated.

‘TV bosses are particularly excited by the new wealth of fans in the crucial 16 to 24 age range who have discovered Tulisa and the band through TikTok and everyone hopes the deal is signed soon.’

In response, a spokesperson for the ITV series said that any names tipped for the programme ‘are speculation’.

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Tulisa Contostavlos on Loose Women
Could I’m A Celebrity mark a big TV comeback for Tulisa? (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex Features)

Tulisa joined The X Factor as a judge in 2011 when she was just 23 years old, becoming the youngest judge ever to sit on the panel.

She mentored Little Mix that year in the Groups category, who went on to win the whole competition.

The following year – in her final year as a main judge 12 years ago – the singer was in charge of the Girls category, which saw her look after singers including Lucy Spraggan and Ella Henderson.

Two years later, she made a brief return to the programme as a guest judge.

In 2022, N-Dubz, which is made up of Tulisa, her cousin Dappy and rapper Fazer, embarked on a reunion tour following an 11-year hiatus, which sold out within minutes.

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I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is set to return on ITV later this year.

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