The leeches, cockroaches and snakes haven’t yet emerged but jungle fever is already hitting bookies.

And two popular soap stars from Bury are joint favourites to be crowned king or queen of the I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! jungle, according to Betfred.

Hunky actor Jamie Lomas, aged 42, best known for playing bad boy Warren Fox in Hollyoaks is the early 5/1 outright favourite, but has now been joined by fellow Bury-born star Jennie McAlpine.

Bury Times: Jamie Lomas says his Hollyoaks exit will be 'memorable'

Fiery red-head Jennie, aged 33, is a popular down to earth character on the cobbles of Coronation Street, having played Fiz Brown for the past 16 years.

Bury Times:

The Bury duo are joint favourites at Betfred, with the jungle’s most unlikely contestant Stanley Johnson, dad of Boris, coming in at 6/1.

Outspoken 77-year-old Stanley turned up in Australia having kept his vow to the programme makers not to tell anyone about his Aussie mission…even the Foreign Secretary!

He will no doubt have much to say to comedian Shappi Khorsandi – an Iranian born Labour supporter and committed Corbynite. The queen of comedy is 8/1 to become the queen of the jungle, the same Betfred odds as teenage heartthrob and YouTube star Jack Maynard.

The next four people in the Betfred betting stakes are all available at 12/1 - Vanessa White of The Saturdays, Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo, Jamie Vardy’s wife Rebekah and Bolton-based boxing champ Amir Khan. The controversial fighter is fresh from a series of life ups and downs and has just rekindled his marriage with model Faryal Makhdoom.

Bury Times: CELEBRATION: Amir Khan with his wife Faryal Makhdoom Khan

Rank outsider is Dennis Wise at 14/1, the 50-year-old former England and Chelsea star.

Betfred boss Fred Done, said: “What a fascinating crazy gang in the jungle this time round. There is a mix of glamour, sporting icons, humour, not to mention Boris’ old man. This mix should lead to all sorts of controversy. There is no doubt this show will be dominating the sport, news and showbiz pages in the papers, and send social media into overdrive.

“The winners are usually those who are down to earth and likeable folk, so it is no surprise to see Corrie’s Fiz right up there as our early favourite.”