Jesy Nelson has reportedly pulled out of Bear Grylls and Holly Willoughby’s new Netflix show Bear Hunt.
The former Little Mix star was in talks to appear on the survival series, but failed to strike a deal with producers.
An insider told The Sun: “Jesy had meetings with producers who were casting for the show, but in the end they couldn’t come to a deal so Jesy won’t be in the final line-up.
“It will be a real blow to Little Mix fans who were excited to see her back in the public eye, and it would have been a huge global gig for Jesy, but bosses met with loads of big celeb names and not everyone ends up in the confirmed mix.
“The show is set to be a huge hit though and Netflix are ploughing loads of money into it so it’s sure to get another series – don’t be surprised if Jesy ends up in the line-up for the second season.”
The new show, hosted by Holly Willoughby, will see 10 celebrity contestants trained in survival skills before they try to escape capture by Bear Grylls in the jungle.
Aside from Jesy, other stars linked to the series include Irish singer Una Healy, reality star Lottie Moss, Strictly head judge Shirley Ballas, and former rugby player Danny Cipriani.
According to insiders, there may be underlying tension between Una and Danny over her ex-husband Ben Foden’s comments about him back in 2010.
At the time, the former England player took a pop at Danny over his antics off the field.
He told The Mirror: “My girlfriend is in the limelight more than me. If I am ever pictured with her it’s normally, ‘Here is Una Healy… and rugby boyfriend Ben Foden’. I’m never going to be the main focus.”
“I’ve never been a big clubber anyway. It’s always been a part of the rugby culture to get drunk – but I do it with the boys! For me, it’s rugby, rugby, rugby.
“Cipriani has been a bit unlucky. He has probably done it a bit too soon. He needed to concentrate on his rugby a little bit more.”
A source has since told The Sun: “Danny is still fuming about it.”
“This will make it awkward for them both as Una tries to keep a good relationship with Ben for sake of her kids and now she has to be around someone who hates her ex.
“It’s not exactly comfortable for either of them and could see them clashing.”
Other famous faces linked to the Bear Hunt lineup include Ted Lasso star Kola Bokinni, Spice Girl Mel B, and former tennis star Boris Becker.
The cast will fly out to film the series in Costa Rica this month, with the show set to stream on Netflix in January 2025.
