Holly Willoughby’s new Netflix show Bear Hunt ‘rocked by celeb feud so bad producers call emergency meeting to save series’

Holly Willoughby, 43, will be swapping her glamorous red carpet ensembles for a pair of camouflage hot pants and hiking boots as she prepares to host the action-packed show in Costa Rica alongside adventurer Bear Grylls , 50, next month.

According to Netflix, the competition show, which is set to launch on the streaming service on February 5, sees a group of unlikely celebrities get dropped into the Central American jungle as prey for one of the world’s most fearsome predators – Bear.

Now, it has been reported that tensions reached fever pitch among the celebrity cast, which included Strictly judge Shirley Ballas, model Lottie Moss and rugby hunk Danny Cipriani. 

A source told The Sun: ‘There were some big personalities there and naturally, tensions started to brew.

‘Tempers started to fray and people didn’t hold back.

‘Things got so bad one night that the big bosses called an emergency meeting to remind the celebs that this was supposed to be a family friendly show.

‘This really didn’t go down well with the stars, including Danny Cipriani – the last thing he wanted was to be on a show like Big Brother, which is full of rows and drama.’

MailOnline has contacted Netflix for comment.

Show bosses have pulled out all the stops with their latest line-up which features Spice Girl Mel B, Strictly judge Shirley Ballas, model Lottie Moss and more.

Bear believes there’s an action hero inside us all – even the celebrities – but how strong is their will to survive?

As Bear puts them through their paces, those who fail to impress will face the dreaded ‘Bear Hunt’ – a brutal game of cat and mouse where they’ll be hunted down by Bear himself and, if captured, face elimination from the show.

Last year, MailOnline revealed that Mel B had reportedly signed a six-figure deal to appear on the action-packed show.

Mel also reportedly told her pals that she signed up for the show to fund her wedding to fiancé Rory McPhee, 36, which will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Mel, who announced her engagement to Rory in November 2022, revealed she is planning to tie the knot at the iconic cathedral because she is an MBE.

She first found fame in the iconic 90’s girl group The Spice Girls and they most recently reunited for a tour in 2019.

In recent years the 49-year-old can often be found behind a judging panel with stints on America’s Got Talent, and The X Factor Australia.

Recently single Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas will be swapping her glamorous ballroom ensembles for jungle attire as she prepares to be pushed to her limits.

Having become a Ballroom and Latin champion before embarking on the world of TV, the 64-year-old knows a thing or two about hard work which could help her out on the show.

Last year, MailOnline revealed that Shirley was rumoured to be joining the line-up of the upcoming Netflix show after getting the all-clear following her cancer scare.

Shirley took to her Instagram at the time to share with her followers that the results from her three biopsies had come back all clear after having further testing done on her breasts following a routine mammogram.

Shirley told her fans: ‘Thank you to you all for your well wishes following my two mammograms, one ultrasound and three biopsies last week.’

‘I am feeling blessed to share that my results have come back all clear – there is no cancer present.’

31-year-old model Leomie Anderson has been gracing catwalks for years and has walked in four consecutive Victoria’s Secret Fashion shows from 2015 to 2018.

The British model then became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2019 and was included in Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2020 for the art and culture category.

She has also dived into presenting taking over BBC’s Glow Up: Britain’s Next Makeup Star from Maya Jama.

Leomie is also the founder and designer of Lapp The Brand, a clothing line and online platform where women can share their stories and perspectives.

Now Leomie is set to take on Bear and the other celebrities in the action-packed competition.

Next up on the list is Boris Becker, 57.

The German tennis player has been Wimbledon champion not once, not twice, but three times.

The sportsman was even the youngest-ever winner of the gentlemen’s singles at the tournament, a feat he accomplished aged 17 in 1985.

Boris is also the former number one tennis player in the world.

Over the course of his career Boris won 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles. He won singles titles in 14 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

In 2002 Boris became a commentator for the BBC at Wimbledon – a job he continued doing for the following two decades (apart from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons when he coached Novak Djokovic).

Another recently single competitor is Danny Cipriani, 37, who is a retired English rugby union player.

He officially retired from the sport in 2024 and is already exploring different avenues.

But the former rugby player already knows one of his co-stars, Shirley, having competed on the Strictly Christmas special in 2023.

Danny previously raised eyebrows with his sizzling chemistry with pro Jowita Przystal, 30, when he appeared in the Christmas Special, receiving an impressive score of 37 out of 40.

At the time the sportsman had just split from his wife Victoria after two years of marriage, and he and Jowita looked visibly cosy as they competed on the BBC show.

Another celebrity joining the line-up will be Zuhair Hassan, known professionally as Big Zuu.

Zuhair is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ and television personality from West London but he is perhaps better known for being a TV Chef.

His shows have included Big Zuu’s Big Eats, and Big Zuu’s Breakfast Show.

In May 2022 Zuhair won two BAFTA TV Awards – entertainment performance and features for his show Big Zuu’s Big Eats at the 2022 British Academy Television Awards.

In 2024 he also presented the documentary Big Zuu goes to Mecca, which followed the 29-year-old’s Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca.

Mel B isn’t the only girl band star as Una Healy is also on the line-up.

The Irish singer rose to fame in 2008 as a member of five-piece girl group The Saturdays.

Together the girl group sold over eight million records and 13 top ten singles before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2014.

The 43-year-old embraced a solo career after the band dispersed, and her most recent single Walk Away was released two years ago.

In June 2023 Una said the song is about ‘having the courage to walk away from any relationship or situation that no longer serves you, to do it in style and to find the courage to move on to something better.’

Kola Bokinni is no stranger to a televised overseas challenge, having just competed on Celebrity Race Across the World .

He didn’t win the gruelling cross-country expedition but perhaps he will have more luck on Celebrity Bear Hunt.

His first major on-screen credit was an episode of Charlie Brooker’s dark anthology series Black Mirror in 2016.

Three years later the 32-year-old was cast as Leyton in Netflix’s reboot of crime drama series Top Boy.

But his most recognised role is Richmond AFC footballer Isaac in the heart-warming series Ted Lasso.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is an English interior designer and TV personality best known for appearing on the BBC programme Changing Rooms.

The show, which saw two sets of friends swap keys to renovate a room in each other’s homes began in 1996 before briefly returning in 2021.

Laurence has also appeared as a judge on the 2010 series of the ITV reality talent show Popstar to Operastar as a critic alongside Meat Loaf and classically trained mentors Katherine Jenkins and Rolando Villazon.

The series was hosted by Myleene Klass and Alan Titchmarsh.

Between 2010 and 2011, Laurence presented the daytime ITV show Auction Party.

Now, Laurence will be put through his paces as Bear prepares to hunt him down in a brutal game of cat and mouse.

Steph McGovern is an English journalist and TV presenter.

She hosted Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 from 2020 to 2023 and the popular show received a BAFTA nomination.

However, in October 2023 the broadcaster announced that the show would come to an end in December.

A statement at the time said: ‘With audience habits changing quicker than ever, we have to make difficult decisions about which programmes to invest in to best drive our digital-first strategy and we have decided not to recommission Steph’s Packed Lunch when its existing production contract ends in December 2023.’

‘We remain as committed as ever to our mission to help level up the TV industry outside London and to our 50% origination out-of-London target.’

‘We will be reinvesting the budget previously committed to Steph’s Packed Lunch into other nations and regions productions.’

Since leaving the show in 2023, the 42-year-old presenter has been focused on her Radio 4 comedy panel show The Ultimate Choice, podcast The Rest is Money, and now Celebrity Bear Hunt.

English fashion model Lottie Moss has also been confirmed for the show after following her older sister Kate Moss into the world of modelling.

Lottie’s first photoshoot was an appearance in Teen Vogue and her first full editorial was via Dazed Magazine.

That same year she was also featured in a series of ads for Calvin Klein, whom her half-sister has also modelled for.

Lottie was first shown on a Vogue front cover during 2016, appearing on the cover of Paris Vogue alongside model Lucky Blue Smith.

The 27-year-old has also dabbled in television and once appeared on Celebs Go Dating.

During the show, viewers saw the star engage in a romance with Adam Collard , but now she’s taking things up a notch.

Another celebrity joining the line-up will be Joe Thomas.

Joe is an English actor and comedian who played Simon Cooper in the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners and its two film adaptations, The Inbetweeners Movie and The Inbetweeners 2.

Following this Joe starred in the student sitcom Fresh Meat as Kingsley Owen and played a Maths teacher in the second series of Threesome.

In 2017, Joe began starring in the sitcom White Gold along with his Inbetweeners co-star James Buckley, 37.

Fans can’t let the idea of an Inbetweeners reunion go, but for the moment the 41-year-old is otherwise engaged as he prepares to take on Bear.