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Deni Hines, Concetta Caristo Join 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia' Cast

Mary Varvaris

Deni Hines and Concetta Caristo have entered the jungle alongside actor Gary Sweet, former AFL player Dyson Heppell, and many others.

Deni Hines, Concetta Caristo on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Deni Hines, Concetta Caristo on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!(Source: YouTube)
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I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! returned to our screens on Sunday (18 January) with a fresh batch of Australian celebrities changing up their day jobs for the jungle.

During the 12th season premiere, which is set at the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin, this year’s competitors were finally revealed. From former AFL player Dyson Heppell to actor Gary Sweet, representing Australian music are singer Deni Hines and triple j radio host Concetta Caristo.

Host of triple j’s Breakfast slot alongside Luka Muller since 2024, it’s predicted that Caristo’s easy banter will be appreciated as this year’s competition goes on. In addition to her work as a radio presenter, Caristo has been a stand-up comedian since 2019.

Announcing her involvement with I’m A Celebrity over the weekend, Caristo posted an image of herself in the jungle with the caption, “Soooooooooooo 😋.”

Meanwhile, Deni Hines is already Australian reality TV royalty as the daughter of singer and Australian Idol judge Marcia Hines. Throughout her career, she’s appeared on Mao’s Last Dancer (2009) and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, as well as The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, The Masked Singer Australia (as Unicorn), and Dancing With The Stars: All Stars.

Deni’s first big break came as a guest vocalist for The Rockmelons, starting with a successful cover of Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine and leading into what would be their biggest hit, That Word (L-O-V-E).

While dating (and later marrying) INXS saxophonist and guitarist Kirk Pengilly in 1992, Hines also found herself in the studio with INXS while they were recording their album Welcome To Wherever You Are and was tapped to do backing vocals on their classic track Not Enough Time, spending time in the studio with the legendary Michael Hutchence.

Participants on I’m A Celebrity represent chosen charities. For Hines, that’s Monika’s Rescues, an organisation devoted to rehoming and saving as many pets as possible from council pounds. For Caristo, her chosen charity is Full Stop Australia, which is described as one of the country’s leading sexual, domestic, and family violence response and recovery services.

You can find out more about this year’s participants here.

Following its premiere on Sunday, I’m A Celebrity continues airing at 7:30 pm Monday to Wednesday and 7 pm on Sunday, broadcasting on Channel 10.