I'm a Celebrity pay fight

A week before it even hits our screens again, the stars of I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here! are already at each other's throats

Show sources claim former Atomic Kitten singer Jenny Frost's pay deal with ITV1 chiefs is behind the first spat - after it emerged that she will receive £100,000 for appearing in the two-week reality programme.

That is four times more than some of the other contestants.

Food and Drink presenter Jilly Goolden, 48, former Blue pop star Antony Costa, 24, singer Jimmy Osmond, 42, and comedians Tommy Cannon, 67, and Bobby Ball, 61, were offered a flat rate of just £25,000 to appear in the show, which starts on Sunday night.

Miss Frost's pay packet equals that paid to glamour model Jordan for the third series of the show in January of last year.

Jordan secured the large pay deal by promising producers value for money. She delivered - hitting it off with pop singer Peter Andre, whom she subsequently married. A show insider said 27-year-old Miss Frost's bumper cheque had enraged the other contestants, adding: 'After the kerfuffle over how much Jordan got paid last year, the contestants just assumed there was a flat rate of £25,000 this time around.

'So when they were offered that as the rate, they didn't think to question it. When they found out what Jenny was on, a few of them were livid and immediately tried to negotiate larger pay deals. 'The situation has created a lot of bad blood even before they get on the plane to fly out.' As the contestants prepared to fly out to the jungle in Queensland, northern Australia, for the contest, it emerged that some had been more successful than others in negotiating pay hikes.

The highest-earning male on the show will be former East-Enders star Sid Owen, 33, who is collecting £55,000 for his appearance. After Miss Frost, another ex-EastEnder, Elaine Lordan, is the next biggest female earner. Miss Lordan, 36, will get £65,000 for her stint in the jungle.

Perhaps the most surprising contestant is Carol Thatcher, 52, daughter of the former prime minister, who is being paid £40,000 to appear.

DJ Sara Cox, who had been lined up, may now not take part.

She may be replaced by David Dickinson. Also in the line-up is Emmerdale barmaid Sheree Murphy.

The contestants receive a flat fee, regardless of when they are voted off the show by viewers.