Robin Bailey returns to KIIS 97.3 breakfast as speculation swirls about Jungle stint on I’m A Celebrity Australia 2026

Robin Bailey’s long-awaited return to Brisbane’s breakfast airwaves is confirmed for 2026, with Australian Radio Network declaring that the popular KIIS 97.3 host will resume the morning slot alongside long-time partners Kip Wightman and Corey Oates. The trio were abruptly axed in October and replaced by Craig “Lowie” Low, a move that sparked a backlash from listeners and ultimately forced ARN to reverse course. Bailey’s comeback marks a high-profile return to the station’s lineup as ARN works to stabilize its morning audience in a competitive market.

Insiders quoted by the Courier Mail have since raised another potential twist: Bailey could travel to South Africa to appear on the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Australia. The reality series, hosted by Robert Irwin and Julia Morris, typically films over several weeks and features a rotating cast of celebrities living together in the jungle. The Courier Mail report situates Bailey among a rumored wave of contestants described by insiders as a mix of entertainment heavyweights and household names.

Arn officials confirmed Bailey will return to KIIS 97.3 in 2026, with Wightman and Oates by her side. The announcement came after the network faced intense listener criticism when Bailey and her co-hosts were abruptly replaced in October. The decision was later reversed, and the broadcaster signaled a broader strategic shift to re-engage the station’s audience. Bailey’s return is viewed by industry watchers as a test of ARN’s ability to reconcile strong listener loyalty with the practicalities of network-wide scheduling and branding.

The Courier Mail’s reporting suggests the jungle scenario would make sense for Bailey, particularly given the swift pivot by Wightman and Oates after their own departures from the breakfast show. Wightman and Oates each embarked on new projects after the shake-up, with both moving into independent ventures—Wightman into a high-profile podcast project and Oates pursuing other broadcasting opportunities. Bailey’s return reduces the risk of a prolonged talent vacuum on the KIIS breakfast team while keeping optioned paths open for cross-promotion across ARN’s broader media ecosystem.

The drama surrounding Bailey’s rumored I’m A Celebrity appearance has been amplified by tease from the show’s producers, who hinted at a “Radio Queen” among the cast for the January 18 launch. That breadcrumb has fans connecting the clues to Bailey, especially as she has been promoting her memoir Flamingos Aren’t Born Pink, a tie that fans say aligns with the flamingo-themed teases surrounding this season’s lineup.

Beyond Bailey, the season is widely tipped to feature a Hollywood sitcom star, an international supermodel, a rugby league figure, soap royalty, a master chef, an AFL A-lister, a Logie-winning actor, a reality TV bad boy, a jungle princess, a stand-up comedian and a 1990s pop icon. The lineup rumors reflect a deliberate push by producers to blend iconic television names with reality-TV veterans, international celebrities and sports stars to maximize audience appeal across Australia and New Zealand platforms. While fans debate who among the rumored cast will actually join the jungle, the chatter underscores the show’s capacity to generate cross-media visibility for both contestants and the broader channel lineup.

Former I’m A Celebrity contestant Brendan Fevola has added fuel to the speculation, publicly claiming that Kelly Osbourne is “100 per cent” locked in for the season and naming other possible campmates such as George Calombaris, Samuel Johnson and Dyson Heppell. While Fevola’s comments move the rumor mill, there has been no official confirmation from the producers about any particular contestant, including Bailey. Separate reports from Daily Mail have teased one of the season’s biggest casting coups as a former Married At First Sight participant, Cyrell Paule, joining the jungle, with Channel 10 reportedly hinting at a MAFS bride as part of the cast. Those reports illustrate how widelyRumor-driven chatter has become about the show’s contestants, even as networks maintain a tight lid on casting until official announcements.

As Bailey’s return to KIIS 97.3 settles into a new normal, fans and media watchers will be watching closely for any confirmation or denial from ARN regarding her I’m A Celebrity involvement. The network has not publicly confirmed Bailey’s participation in the jungle, and producers typically reserve such details until closer to the start of filming. In the months ahead, the industry will assess how the dual narratives—Bailey’s return to radio and the I’m A Celebrity casting rumors—affect audience engagement, sponsor interest, and Bailey’s own career trajectory as she navigates multiple high-profile opportunities in the Australian media landscape.